Corpse in the Cupboard
by Madisuzy
Summary: YAOI "Are you sure that corpse you brought back yesterday was human?" Laguna asked, pointing to the wall. "He looked human, apart from the large gold claw," Kiros answered. Laguna glanced around at his friend with a worried look. LAGUNA/VINCENT and KIROS
1. Chapter 1

Warning:Men loving men. If you're not into it, don't read it.

Summary: I really wanted to read Laguna and Vincent together so I did it myself. Ok, this is my first attempt at fan fiction so hopefully it's not to painful. Any comments would be greatly appreciated and any advice on making my writing better in the future is always welcome. If you just want to tell me I'm evil for writing gay stories then please don't waste your time.

Disclaimer: Don't own Laguna or Vincent or Kiros...............really wish I did though!

*******CHAPTER 1*******

Laguna gazed out of the window and sighed. He was tired. Tired of his whole existence. Nothing had turned out the way he'd wanted, the way he'd dreamed. If Raine could see him now, he wondered what she'd think. Would she be ashamed of him, or proud?

He had achieved many great things as the president of Esthar. The city was thriving and the residents lived opulent lives seldom seen anywhere on the planet. Safe within the barrier, they didn't have to concern themselves with the immanent attack of monsters that residents of other cities faced on a daily basis. As a result, they had become a lazy and self serving people, more concerned with the latest fashions and celebrity gossip than with any issues of importance. He'd hoped the security and wealth his people enjoyed would lead to an educated, enlightened society. What a fool he was.

"Maybe Squall is right when he says I'm an embarrassment," he muttered to the darkness.

"Squall is definitely wrong," a soft voice whispered behind him. Laguna turned to see Kiros standing just inside the door with a small smile on his lips. He smiled back warmly.

"Kiros, you're back already?" he questioned his best friend. "I thought you'd be stuck in Galbadia for days."

"Well, there was no point staying and listening to Caraway whine any longer than necessary. That man is infuriating! Can you believe he expected us to pay for the damage that time flux caused to his city? It's hardly our responsibility that it appeared in the middle of the Caraway mansion." Kiros flopped down onto the sofa and rubbed his forehead. Laguna poured two whiskeys, sat down next to him and offered his friend one, which he gratefully accepted.

"Kiros, sometimes I wonder how the hell we got here," Laguna muttered as he leaned back into the sofa. Kiros chuckled beside the president and put his arm around him.

"You're the one who decided that running a city would be fun. Just think, we could be blind drunk lying in an alley somewhere right now." Laguna laughed out loud.

"Gods, I can't even remember the last time I got drunk."

"Well, that I can help with," Kiros stated as he stood to retrieve the whiskey bottle, refilling the glasses. "There's something else I should mention too. A strange looking man came through the time flux. He wasn't breathing though. Caraways people tried to revive him, but failed. I've sent the body down to Odine, thought he might be able to come up with some answers."

"Great," Laguna moaned, "Now the universe is throwing corpses at us. Makes you feel special, dosen't it?" Kiros laughed and raised his glass. "Cheers my friend."

****

Laguna moaned and rolled away from the blinding light streaming in his window. "Fuck," he muttered into his pillow. Now he remembered why he hadn't got drunk for so long. He slowly dragged himself upright and stumbled towards the shower.

Hours later he was propped up at his desk, staring blankly at a mountain of paperwork, when Kiros came charging through the doors of his office in a panic.

"You'll never believe what's happened. That corpse we retrieved yesterday wasn't dead!" he spluttered.

"What the fuck are you talking about. Kiros, are you still drunk?" Laguna deadpanned.

"Ifrit's balls, I'm not joking Laguna! The labs been destroyed, three people are in hospital and the damn corpse has disappeared." The president stood quickly, grabbing his coat and following Kiros down the hall as he tried to digest what the hell was going on.

"I hate Mondays," he whispered to himself as he ran his hands through his hair.

They found Professor Odine standing outside the ruins of the lab, muttering to himself incoherently. Laguna walked past him and peered into what has left of the building. It reminded Laguna of Trabia Garden after the missile attack except for the huge claw marks that ran along the northern wall. Kiros appeared beside him.

"Are you sure that corpse you brought back yesterday was human?" he asked as he pointed to the wall.

"He looked human, apart from the large gold claw," Kiros answered. Laguna glanced around at his friend with a worried look.

"Any indication what direction it went in?"

"Well, one of the patrols spotted a red cape flying in the direction of the city," Kiros mumbled, as he stared at his feet.

"I take it the corpse had a red cape on too?" Laguna raised an eyebrow at Kiros and took a deep breath. "Great. I can see the news headlines now. Red caped zombie with golden claw terrorises city."

"I've already mobilized the entire guard to search for him. Don't worry Laguna, we'll find him. I'll go and get an update on how it's going," Kiros stated as he turned and hurried away.

Time for damage control, Laguna thought to himself as he made his way back to his office. Shiva's tits, how the hell was he going to explain this one? And what if this….zombie or whatever it was decided to start killing people? At least he had a couple of hours before the story would spread and the reporters would be hounding him for answers. His head started to ache, the remnants of this mornings hangover coming back with a vengeance. As he approached his office door he decided painkillers and a shower would be needed before he could deal with it all, so he continued on to his suite. Locking the door behind him he turned and slumped against the cool wood, sighing. The bad feeling in the pit of his stomach told him this was going to be one hell of a week.


	2. Chapter 2

Warning:Men loving men. If you're not into it, don't read it.

Summary: I really wanted to read Laguna and Vincent together so I did it myself. Ok, this is my first attempt at fan fiction so hopefully it's not to painful. Any comments would be greatly appreciated and any advice on making my writing better in the future is always welcome. If you just want to tell me I'm evil for writing gay stories then please don't waste your time.

Disclaimer: Don't own Laguna or Vincent or Kiros...............really wish I did though!

*******CHAPTER 2*******

Laguna stood with both arms out in front of him, hands pressed against the tiles of the shower, head down, eyes closed as the warm water ran over his head and down his body. It felt like heaven. He reluctantly lifted his head and turned off the water, stepping slowly out and grabbing a towel off the rack. At least his headache was gone, he thought to himself as he rubbed his hair dry and wandered back out into the bedroom. The click of his cupboard door closing froze him in his tracks.

"Kiros?" he called to the empty room. There was no answer. Laguna quickly wrapped the towel around his waist and approached the cupboard gingerly. If this was Kiros' idea of a joke, he was going to kill him. He slowly reached out his hand towards the cupboard. Suddenly the doors flew open and he saw a flash of red as he was flung around, back first into the wall. He opened his eyes to see two blood red orbs staring back at him. He could feel something sharp pressed against his neck and had a horrible feeling it was a golden claw. Fuck! his mind screamed at him.

It was at this very moment that his towel decided to abandon him and fall to the floor. The red eyes of his assailant flicked down and then back up to meet his, one eyebrow arching up. Laguna swallowed nervously.

"I need answers," a deep voice softly purred. Laguna stared at him, completely lost for words. The claw against his neck shifted slightly and Laguna tried to control his panic. If he didn't get his shit together quickly he had a feeling he'd end up dead on his bedroom floor. Naked and dead. The press would love that.

"What do you want to know?" the president squeaked. The claw withdrew slightly, resting firming on his chest.

"Where am I?" the intruder demanded.

"The presidential palace," Laguna answered nervously.

"Where's Rufus?"

"Who's Rufus?" the president meekly asked.

"I'm in no mood for games," the man hissed as his claw pressed against the presidents throat once more, causing Laguna to stretch his head back to try to avoid damage. Suddenly there was a loud knocking at the door.

"Laguna, open the door. The story has hit the news and we need to talk now. Laguna?" Kiros' voice called. The president felt the claw release its hold and then a sharp pain in his head as everything went black.

****

Laguna slowly opened his eyes and was relieved to see Kiros staring worriedly at him. He tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in his skull made him lie back down on the floor.

"Whoa, take it easy. You've had a bad knock to the head," his friend said softly, as he smiled down at him. "What the fuck happened?"

"Found your corpse in my cupboard," Laguna moaned, as he felt his head gingerly, discovering a large lump on his forehead. "You have wonderful timing my friend."

"Shiva's tits, he was in your cupboard? How the hell did he get past security?" Kiros exclaimed as he helped his friend to his bed. As Laguna lay back on the pillows, Kiros noticed the small cuts and scratches on the presidents neck and his face darkened. "What did he want from you?" he asked, as he retrieved a potion from the medical kit in the bathroom and handed it to Laguna.

"Answers apparently. Don't think he liked the one's I gave him though," Laguna muttered as he closed his eyes and tried to make sense of the conversation with the stranger. "He wanted to know where someone called Rufus was."

"Sounds like he hasn't worked out he's not in Kansas anymore," Kiros joked, making reference to one of his favourite movies. Laguna opened his eyes and smiled at Kiros affectionately. "Anyway, you get some rest. I'll deal with the hoards for a few hours while you recover, ok?"

"Thanks. I'd be lost without you," the president murmured as he closed his eyes. Kiros quietly watched Laguna's face relax as he drifted off to sleep.

"And I'd be lost without you too," he whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

Warning:Men loving men. If you're not into it, don't read it.

Summary: I really wanted to read Laguna and Vincent together so I did it myself. Ok, this is my first attempt at fan fiction so hopefully it's not to painful. Any comments would be greatly appreciated and any advice on making my writing better in the future is always welcome. If you just want to tell me I'm evil for writing gay stories then please don't waste your time.

Disclaimer: Don't own Laguna or Vincent or Kiros...............really wish I did though!

*******CHAPTER 3*******

The next two weeks passed in a blur for Laguna. The press went crazy with the story of the 'red caped zombie' and Laguna started to wish he had never been born. His days where filled with endless press conferences and meetings with panicked officials demanding answers the president just didn't have. The few hours sleep he managed to snatch each day were haunted by red eyes and golden claws. His only relief from the chaos came from Kiros. He had been a rock for Laguna. His strong, solid presence a balm for the strung out leader of Esthar.

"Laguna, I really think you need a break. There's nothing more you can do about this now. The whole of Esthar is looking for our lost zombie and I'm sure he's long gone from the city by now. With all the media attention someone would have spotted him otherwise," Kiros stated stubbornly. He'd spent the last three days trying to convince Laguna to take some time off. "No offence, Mr President," he drawled with a cheeky grin, "but you look like shit."

"You always know how to make a man feel loved Kiros," Laguna chuckled and winked back at him.

"That's why you hired me as your personal assistant. Now go! I'll handle everything while you're away," Kiros reassured him. Laguna was just too tired to argue with him anymore and grudgingly agreed.

****

Laguna was completely alone and it was bliss. The one bedroom cabin in the Centra mountains that Kiros had insisted he buy years ago, was the perfect place to hide away from the world. It was only accessible by airship but still had the modern luxury of electricity thanks to the generator he'd had installed last year. He'd only been here for two days but already felt completely rejuvenated by the silence and peaceful breezes that drifted up the mountain side. Yawning contentedly, he wandered into the bedroom, stripping off his cloths as he went and curled up in the oversized bed. As he drifted off to sleep, he wondered if his dreams would finally be free of those red, haunting eyes.

_*Laguna approached the cupboard doors with his arm outstretched. Suddenly the doors flew open and he was flung, back first, into the wall. He opened his eyes to see those red eyes, boring into his soul. He felt the cold steal claws against his throat. The towel dropped to the floor and Laguna gasped. His assailant's eyes flicked down his body and then returned to his face, one eyebrow arching suggestively. Laguna ran his tongue over his lips nervously and closed his eyes. He felt the claw release his neck to be replaced by hungry lips and the soft scraping of teeth. Laguna's hips involuntarily thrust forward against the other man and a groan escaped his lips as he felt his bare cock press against leather and the burning erection hidden beneath it. The stranger's normal hand reached up, grabbing Laguna's hair and yanking it back to expose more of his throat as he bit down passionately into Laguna's flesh. The presidents hands fumbled blindly at the buckles of the leather pants, trying desperately to undo them. He needed to feel more, wanted so badly to be taken by him that all other thoughts had fled his mind. Finally he succeeded, the leather pants falling to the floor. He was pushed back against the wall and lifted as he wrapped his legs around the strangers waist. "Please," the president begged into the jet black hair. The man made a deep growling sound and then thrust forcefully forward_………

Laguna shot upright in his bed, panting heavily and covered in sweat. "Fucking hell!" he gasped out loud, as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Bad dream?" a deep voice enquired from the darkened corner of the room. Laguna jumped at the sound and fell backwards off the bed, tangling himself in the sheets and ending up in a heap on the floor. A deep chuckle floated through the air as Laguna tried to stand up and ended up back on the bed.

"Please," the man said softly, stepping forward out of the shadows and smiling at the flustered President. "I've come to apologize for my behaviour the last time we met. I mean you no harm."

In spite of his calming words, Laguna's mind was panicking. As his body tried to unravel itself from the bed sheets, his mind tried desperately to process what was going on. The fact that he was completely alone with this dangerous man and Kiros would not save him this time was his first coherent thought. Fuck, he really is the most beautiful man I've ever seen, was his second thought. Laguna felt his face blush hotly. Damn, he wasn't a bloody schoolgirl, what the hell was wrong with him? He quickly took a couple of deep breaths to compose himself and stood up, only to have his leg cramp up and send him barreling forwards into the arms of the stranger. The president opened his eyes and looked up into ruby orbs. "Oh, shit," he whispered, his body completely over reacting to the proximity of the strong body pressed against him.

"Are you alright?" the man questioned, concern crossing his face as he peered down at the lost man in his arms.

"I……you……who?" Laguna sputtered hopelessly.

"Maybe I should introduce myself," the stranger said as he supported the president with his clawed arm and brought his other arm up to tuck a strand of Laguna's hair behind his ear. "My name is Vincent Valentine."


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: Corpse in the Cupboard**

**Rating: Adult only (18+)**

**Warnings: Men having sex......with men.**

**Pairings: Laguna/Vincent, Laguna/Kiros**

**Author: Madisuzy**

**Summary: I really wanted to put Laguna and Vincent together, and since I couldn't find any stories by anyone else with this particular couple, I did it myself. ok, this is my first attempt at fan fiction so hopefully it's not to painful. Any comments would be greatly appreciated and any advice on making my writing better in the future is always welcome. If you just want to tell me I'm evil for writing gay stories then please don't waste your time.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Laguna or Vincent or Kiros...............really wish I did though!**

**Thanks:Many thanks to squall on TFS forums and goldenhaire on LJ for proofreading and endless encouragement and support. I love you guys!**

*******Chapter 4*******

Vincent looked down at the man in his arms and smiled. He couldn't help himself. The way the president had reacted to him was, he had to admit, adorable. Since their first meeting, Vincent had learned the truth of where he was and what had happened. It had proved to be an easy task as the media of the city had been broadcasting the details of his arrival to the public for weeks. He'd watched some of the presidents media interviews and had been surprised by the mans honesty. Laguna was the complete opposite of any president he had ever known. The people of Esthar were truly fond of their leader and in turn Laguna seemed to care deeply about his city and its residents. Vincent had become fascinated by him. He'd been trying to figure out how to approach the man again when he'd overheard staff gossiping about the president taking a vacation at a secluded location. It would be the perfect opportunity to speak to him again, without interruption. He was, however, worried how the man would react to seeing him again, considering their last encounter. He had watched Laguna relaxing for two whole days before he had entered his cabin deciding to just appear and see what happened. The fact the object of his fascination was naked, in his arms and blushing like a teenager was a welcome development.

"Vincent," Laguna whispered. Vincent leaned down and slowly touched his lips to the trembling man before him. Laguna returned the kiss tentatively, his eyes fluttering closed. Vincent gently ran his tongue along the presidents lips and was rewarded with a soft gasp as Laguna opened his lips and offered him more. It had been so long since he had felt like this. Thirty years alone in the basement of Nibelhelm Mansion had left him a numb and lifeless shell of a man. With one kiss, Laguna had ignited a fire within him that burned through his veins like Mako. He couldn't stop now, had no means to control his desire as he lowered Laguna onto the bed, pausing only to quickly rid himself of his clothes. Gazing hungrily over the body beneath him, he finally rested his gaze on the beautiful blue eyes that stared longingly back at him.

"I need you Laguna," he purred deeply. Laguna didn't respond with words. Instead he reached up and pulled Vincent down against him, kissing him passionately as their bodies entwined. They fit together perfectly, as if they had been made for each other, Vincent thought as he surrendered.

****

Laguna was lost. Lost in Vincent's ruby eyes, lost in the searing kisses that covered his skin, lost in the feel of the body pressed against him. When Vincent had said that he needed Laguna, he'd been unable to form a coherent response, instead opting to show the beautiful being how he felt. The resulting kiss had nearly brought him to climax. Fuck, he was too old to endure something so intense much longer. He hadn't been with another person since Raine and she had died nearly twenty years ago. The thought made him flinch in pain, despite his extreme arousal. His hope that his lover hadn't noticed was crushed when Vincent stopped suckling on his chest and peered up at him, eyes full of concern.

"Sorry," Laguna stuttered. "Just…….memories," he tried to explain. He smiled and lifted his hands to hold Vincent's face, hoping desperately that he hadn't ruined the moment.

"I think I can still your mind," Vincent murmured with a smirk as he moved down Laguna's body, swallowing him completely in one graceful movement.

"Oh, fuck," Laguna moaned as his mind deserted him. His lover hummed a reply and Laguna felt his body tense as years of frustration threatened to send him over the brink. A sudden pressure around the base of his shaft saved him.

"Not yet," Vincent whispered as he pressed one last kiss on the end of Laguna's erection and crawled back up to kiss him deeply.

"Vincent please," Laguna begged. He didn't care how needy he sounded, couldn't help squirming and trying to gain some friction against the body above him. Red eyes smiled at him briefly as he felt a warm hand wrap around both of their cocks and start pumping firmly in perfect rhythm. The president could only withstand so much and the sound of his lover's moans made his body surrender as he screamed Vincent's name to the darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

Author:Madisuzy

Rating:18+ (strictly adults only - no kiddies!)

Warning:Men loving men – that means sex people.

If you're not into it, don't read it.

Summary: I really wanted to read Laguna and Vincent together so I did it myself. Ok, this is my first attempt at fan fiction so hopefully it's not to painful. Any comments would be greatly appreciated and any advice on making my writing better in the future is always welcome. If you just want to tell me I'm evil for writing gay stories then please don't waste your time.

Disclaimer: Don't own Laguna or Vincent or Kiros...............really wish I did though!

Thanks:Goldenhaire on LiveJournal and Squall on TheForumSite for their spellchecking, fact checking and general encouragement.

*******Chapter 5*******

Vincent couldn't stop smiling. The muscles in his face were aching because the expression had been lost to him for so long. He sighed as he watched Laguna peacefully sleeping, curled up against his side. The president of Esthar looked so innocent when he was asleep, the stress and strain absent from his handsome face.

A week had passed since he had crept into the cabin and seen Laguna sleeping for the first time. He would never of dreamed that night would have ended up the way it had. They had barely spent a moment apart since then and Vincent had talked more this week than he had in the previous thirty odd years. He hadn't planned on sharing his past with the president but once he started talking to Laguna, he found he couldn't stop. He told him of his lost love Lucrecia, a women already married to an evil, twisted scientist named Hojo. How Hojo had discovered their relationship and Vincent had become one of his experiments. Lucrecia's desperate bid to save him by implanting a demon named Chaos into his body. She had both saved and condemned him that day. His utter failure to save her from becoming another victim of Hojo's insane experiments, her pregnancy and the birth of Sephiroth. Her son's descent into madness and attempts to destroy their planet. Laguna had listened to his whole twisted tale and his unquestioning acceptance had come as a surprise to Vincent. He had been shocked and saddened but the love in his eyes and the passion they shared had not diminished.

Vincent felt a twinge of guilt in his chest. He hadn't told Laguna that he didn't age. His lover had already expressed concern over the age difference between them and Vincent had told him that it was irrelevant and besides, the president looked far younger than he was anyway. Laguna had smiled in response but as he turned away, Vincent had seen the doubt in his eyes. If he told him that he would always look this age, would the president end their relationship? As he drifted off to sleep, he came to only one conclusion. He couldn't bear to lose him and he would do anything to keep him.

****

Kiros couldn't help the excitement he felt. He had missed Laguna and was looking forward to seeing his warm smile again. Gods, being away from him always had this effect on him. Sometimes he found it hard to resist the temptation to run up and wrap his arms around the man. Woah! Kiros thought to himself. Where did that come from? Wrap his arms around him? Did he really just think that? The sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts as he looked up to see one of the crewmen approaching.

"We are arriving at the president's location, Sir," the man announced. Kiros nodded at the crewman as he stood and stretched. He would have time later to ponder his growing need for Laguna. Now was time to enjoy his return.

****

How the hell was Laguna going to explain this to Kiros? Exactly how do you tell your best friend that the zombie that everyone is hunting is actually a really nice guy, so nice that he's been sharing your bed and you think you might have fallen in love with him? No matter how he tried to construct the conversation in his head, it sounded wrong. So very, very wrong. But Gods, it felt so right! So instead of doing the right thing and giving Kiros the explanation his best friend deserved, he had completely chickened out and told him nothing. He would be arriving to pick them up any minute now and Laguna was worried how he would react.

Laguna was pacing nervously outside the cabin, running his fingers through his hair and trying to work out how to explain it all when strong arms wrapped around him from behind and Vincent kissed his neck gently.

"He's your best friend, isn't he?" Vincent asked, turning Laguna around to face him.

"Yes, he is," Laguna sighed.

"Then he will understand," Vincent re-assured him, as he leaned forward and kissed the worried president deeply. Laguna let himself be swept away in the kiss, wrapping his arms around his lover and returning it wholeheartedly. Oh hell, he couldn't give this up for anything. Nobody had ever made him feel this way. One kiss and he was left oblivious to the world around him, including the approach of his best friend.

"What the fuck?" Kiros hissed, abruptly bringing Laguna back to reality. The president spun around to see Kiros staring at them, his face a mixture of shock, anger and something else that Laguna couldn't read.

****

The walk to the cabin from the landing site was only short but Kiros felt his pulse increasing rapidly. He couldn't hold back the smile on his face or the spring in his step as he rounded the last bend in the cliffs.

The sight before him stabbed him in the chest and ripped his heart out. Laguna was in the arms of a tall, dark haired man, their bodies entwined in a passionate kiss. He heard Laguna moan, was vaguely aware of words slipping past his lips, as he stood frozen in pain. Laguna spun around to face him but Kiros couldn't bare to look at him, didn't want to direct his pain into those eyes. He turned his glare onto the other man and suddenly his brain kicked back in to gear. Red cape. Golden claw. Fucking zombie. His side-arm was in his hand and firing before he was even aware of it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author: Madisuzy**

**Rating: 18+ (strictly adults only - no kiddies!)**

**Warning: Men loving men – that means sex people. ****If you're not into it, don't read it.**

**Summary: I really wanted to read Laguna and Vincent together so I did it myself. Ok, this is my first attempt at fan fiction so hopefully it's not to painful. Any comments would be greatly appreciated and any advice on making my writing better in the future is always welcome. If you just want to tell me I'm evil for writing gay stories then please don't waste your time.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Laguna or Vincent or Kiros...............really wish I did though!**

**Thanks: Goldenhaire on LiveJournal and Squall on TheForumSite for their ****spellchecking, fact checking and general encouragement. *waves***

**Author notes: Sorry it's so short.....next one will be bigger!**

*******Chapter 6*******

A flash of red was all Kiros saw before he found himself flat on his back with a three barreled gun in his face. He glared up at the zombie who stared impassively back at him.

"Nice to meet you too, Kiros," the man stated flatly.

"Gods, please stop!" Laguna's voice pleaded, as he ran up to them. "Kiros, Vincent is not a threat." Kiros turned his gaze onto Laguna. This was all wrong. It wasn't suppose to happen like this. Laguna was going to be his, not this…._Vincent's_. The pain in his chest was unbearable. He didn't want to face this. He'd waited too long, taken for granted what he should of claimed as his years ago. Now it was too late and he'd missed his chance with Laguna. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying desperately to regain his composure.

"Get the fuck off me," Kiros growled.

When there was no reply and the man on top of him didn't move, Kiros slowly opened his eyes. The look on Vincent's face stole his breath away. He knew! This stranger knew that he loved Laguna. The look of empathy and understanding on his face was overwhelming. Kiros felt like he was going to throw up.

*****

This was a nightmare. Laguna had no other way to describe it. Of all the ways he thought Kiros would react to the surprise of Vincent being here, he'd never imagined that his friend would try to shoot him. When he'd first turned to look at Kiros, he had expected the shock and anger on his face. It was the pain he hadn't been ready for. At first he hadn't recognized it, but now that Vincent had him pinned down, he could see it clearly. Why pain?

"Vincent, please let him go," Laguna said softly as he knelt down beside them. As Vincent released him and stood back, Kiros sat up, staring forlornly at his hands.

"Kiros, I don't understand. Why…..?"

"There's nothing to understand. My apologies for my over reaction. I think it's better if I wait on the air ship," Kiros muttered as he quickly stood and hurried away. Laguna was left staring after him, completely bewildered at his reaction.

*****

The flight back to Estar was awkward, to say the least. The crew of the Ragnorak were shocked at the sight of Vincent and openly stared at him. He was relieved when Laguna lead him to his private quarters on board. As soon as the door was closed, the president fell against him, wrapping his arms around his waist and sighing heavily. Vincent returned the embrace, resting his head against his lovers hair and breathing in Laguna's scent, as his mind raced through what had happened.

They had not encountered Kiros when they boarded the air ship and his continued absence had made it clear that, for the time being, he was avoiding them. Laguna's distress over the whole situation was only added to by the fact that he had no idea of the real reasons behind his friend's reaction. Vincent knew he could ease some of that distress by telling the president about Kiros' feelings for him, but the mere thought of speaking those words made his inner demons flare with anger. Laguna was his. Telling him that his best friend, the man the president had relied on and spent the last 20 or more years with, was in love with him would jeopardize everything they had found together. The guilt Vincent felt for leaving Laguna in the dark would be ignored. Guilt he could live with. Losing the man in his arms, he could not. If the past had taught him anything, it was clear that doing what most would consider the right thing, would leave him alone and he couldn't bear that again. This time would be different. This time he would fight for his love. This time he would win.

*****TBC*****


	7. Chapter 7

***** Chapter 7 *****

Looking at the night sky usually left Laguna with a feeling of peace and tranquility. Tonight it did nothing to ease his troubled mind. He missed Kiros. Missed him so much that it had become a constant ache. What the hell had happened? Kiros had never been the same since he had found Vincent with him at the cabin six months ago. Their previously warm and close friendship had morphed into a cold and distant acquaintance. As for Vincent, he never mentioned Kiros again after their first meeting. Laguna wanted, more than anything, to be able to talk through his problems with Kiros to Vincent but if he brought up his name in conversation, the gunman would become tense and broody, falling silent or changing the subject. He was left bewildered by the way both men seemed to detest each other when they hadn't even tried to get to know each other first. They were both so important to the president that he longed for them to get along but it was a lost cause if he couldn't even get Kiros to talk. Avoiding the subject with Vincent had become his only option, and burying himself in his work, his only distraction during the day. He simply went about his day with his 'happy' face on and pretended nothing had changed. But everything had changed and he felt so lost and confused that it was breaking him a little more every day. The fact that he could no longer ignore the problem and had to do something about it had been driven home just hours earlier. He'd received a memo on his desk informing him that Kiros was resigning his position as his assistant, effective at the end of the week.

No.

This couldn't be happening. He glanced down at the paper in his hand, re-reading it for the hundredth time, before his eyes blurred over with tears. Wrapping his arms around his chest, Laguna fell to his knees sobbing like a child. It couldn't end like this. Somehow, he had to fix it.

*****

Kiros glanced impatiently at the clock on the wall. Damn, where was this Galbadian official? He'd been waiting for over forty minutes for the man to turn up and his aggravation was rising steadily. Typical that the very last duty he would perform as Personal Assistant to the President would end up like this.

The president.

Laguna.

Gods, he couldn't go there now. Tomorrow he'd be on his was to Dolet, where he could spend the rest of his miserable existence pining over the man he loved like the fool that he was. Approaching footsteps brought Kiros quickly out of his thoughts, as he stood up, taking a deep breath and pulling on his professional mask.

The door to the conference room swung open slowly and he froze in shock. Laguna stepped into the room, closing the door behind him and turning towards Kiros with a cautious smile.

"What are you doing here?" Kiros snapped. Laguna flinched, as if he had been slapped, his smile disappearing and his eyes falling to the floor.

"I……..it's your last day and I……," Laguna whispered sadly, his words falling into silence. The president ran his hands through his hair nervously and took a deep breath, straightening up and raising his head to look directly into his eyes. Kiros felt his pulse go into overdrive. For six months he had avoided those eyes. Oh, he'd wanted to stare into them again. Wanted it more than he'd wanted anything else before in his life.

"What the fuck happened to us?" Laguna chocked out, his voice breaking on the last word as his eyes clouded with pain.

"You replaced me," Kiros muttered as he turned his back on the president. The urge to hold the man was becoming unbearable. "This is hardly the time to discuss this Mr President. The Galbadian minister of commerce will be arriving at any moment…."

"No, he will not," Laguna interrupted. "There is no meeting today. Only me."

"What?" Kiros spluttered, turning to face him. "Is this some kind of twisted joke that you…"

"Shut up, Kiros!" Laguna spat back. "You are going to listen to me. I never replaced you. Fuck, no-one could ever replace you. We've been friends for over twenty _years_, you moron. Do you honestly think I would throw all that away?" Laguna demanded as his temper flared.

"Things change! People change! Feelings change!" Kiros retorted hotly, stepping closer.

"Do you honestly hate me that much now?" Laguna demanded.

"I don't hate you!"

"Then what the fuck is the problem here?" Laguna yelled.

"This is the problem," Kiros hissed, grabbing the presidents face in his hands and kissing him hungrily as he pushed him back into the wall and pressed his body against him.

*****

Laguna's anger twisted into passion as he clung to his friend and kissed him back with a desire he'd been completely unaware of. Kiros' hands swept over him like fire, burning his skin and making him moan into their kiss. He heard Kiros growl in response as he thrust against him, lost in the complete overload of sensation that swept over him. The president was vaguely aware of his pants being roughly pushed down and kicked them off his feet impatiently as Kiros released his lips and started devouring his neck. Strong hands lifted him up against the wall and he wrapped his legs around Kiros' waist eagerly. Kiros thrust forward once, breaching him forcefully as Laguna cried out in pain and squeezed his eyes shut. He felt tears trickling down his cheeks as he clung to Kiros and tried to adjust.

"Laguna, look at me," Kiros whispered in his ear, his voice shaking with restraint. Laguna lifted his head and opened his eyes to look at his friend. "I am nothing without you," Kiros husked out. He once again caught Laguna's lips in a desperate dance that swept the pain away. Their bodies began to move together, the pace increasing rapidly with every thrust. Nothing else existed. Nothing else mattered. There was only the two of them becoming one. Laguna struggled for breath as he felt his climax approaching. Suddenly, every muscle in his body tensed and he cried out Kiros' name as blackness overtook him.

Laguna opened his eyes slowly. He found himself re-dressed and lying on the couch in the conference room. Sitting up, he glanced around to find Kiros standing across the room watching him intently. As there eyes met, Laguna's foggy mind presented him with one heart crushing word.

Vincent.

*****TBC*****


	8. Chapter 8

***** Chapter 8 *****

Kiros stared at the sleeping form of the man he loved. Well, he hadn't planned on _that_ happening. A grin slowly spread across his face. Wow. Many times he's imagined what sex with Laguna would be like. Of all the different scenarios that had run through his mind, none had been anywhere near as intense as the real thing. Mostly, his mind had conjured up romantic images of tender love scenes. He definitely had to stop watching those late night Hallmark movies. The smile fell from his face when Laguna began to stir in his sleep and mumbled a name.

Vincent.

Fuck.

He'd forgotten all about him.

Fuck.

The gunman was going to kill him.

Laguna's eyes fluttered open and he slowly sat up, looking around the room, before his eyes found Kiros'. The expression on the President's face was heartbreaking. He didn't need to ask him what was wrong.

"Laguna. I'm…..I mean I didn't….," he stammered out, trying to find words that his mind refused to supply.

"What have I done?" the President whispered, his eyes closing as he covered his face with his hands. Kiros stood up and approached him, laying a hand on his shoulder in a vain attempt at comfort. Laguna flinched away from his touch and something inside of Kiros began to crack.

"It never happened," he said flatly.

"What?" Laguna asked, looking up with a bewildered expression.

"It never happened," Kiros repeated, turning away to hide the pain written across his face.

"I……I can't just pretend that didn't happen! Kiros, you're not some stranger that I had a fling with. You're extremely important to me! And besides, I can't hide this from Vincent. Every time I look at him, I'll be reminded that I betrayed him. I'll be reminded that ……oh fuck, what am I going to do?!" Tears flowed down Laguna's face and he rubbed them away roughly as he continued. "I have to tell him the truth."

"Are you insane?" Kiros muttered, as he stared out the window. "Do you realize he'll probably kill the both of us? Well, he'll definitely kill me at least. What if one of those demons he's carrying around inside his head makes an appearance? It'd probably destroy the whole city."

"Damn it, Kiros, he's not some mindless beast! Do_ you _realize how much this is going to hurt him? I'm all he's got right now. He's been torn away from his home, his friends, his whole damn world was snatched away from him!" Laguna stood up and started pacing, running his fingers through his hair.

"You really do love him, don't you?" Kiros said softly, turning to face the President. Laguna had stopped pacing and was looking at him again. "So, what about you and I? How do you feel about me?"

"I don't know," Laguna responded, his eyes falling to the floor. "This was all so unexpected. You never told me you felt that way about me." The frown on his face deepened as he looked back at his friend. "Why didn't you say something about your feelings for me before?" Kiros looked at him blankly. Good question. Laguna's eyes held his, demanding an answer.

"I suppose I didn't realize what I had until it was taken away from me," he finally responded. Laguna stared at him, before sighing and turning away.

"Honestly Kiros…….I don't understand you at all sometimes," he mumbled. Kiros stared at his back in desperation. What could he say? That it wasn't until he saw him in the arms of another that he'd discovered how much he needed him? It sounded pathetic, even to him. "I need time to work this out in my head. The whole 'you and I' issue is just too much…..I….I just can't deal with all of this at once. First, I have to tell Vincent what happened. After that….well, I just don't know." Laguna walked out of the conference room without looking back. Kiros stood there staring after him as his heart crumbled.

*****

Something was definitely wrong. Laguna was quiet. The quietest Vincent had ever seen him. They were sharing dinner in the President's quarters and usually this meant Laguna would be prattling on while Vincent listened intently. The gunman loved the way his lover became so animated, waving his arms around and over-emphasizing every point. Tonight though, there was just an uncomfortable silence. Laguna glanced up at him and back down at his untouched meal for the hundredth time, pushing his food around the plate absent mindedly.

"Laguna, what is wrong?" Vincent asked, reaching across the table to take the President's hand in his. Laguna froze and cautiously glanced up at his lover. The gunman was shocked to see fear in those beautiful blue eyes. What the hell was going on?

"Um…..I…..I have to tell you something," Laguna stuttered out nervously. Vincent felt his pulse increase despite his effort to stay calm.

"You can tell me anything," Vincent said softly, as fear began creeping up his spine. "I love you. Nothing you could ever say can change that."

"I know you love me, Vin. It's just that this…..well…..it's just…..," Laguna muttered, pulling his hand away from his lover. "This is something that…..well you'll....oh fuck." Tears filled the President's eyes and Vincent swallowed. Was this it? Had his lover decided that he was unworthy of him? That he didn't deserve the happiness they'd shared?

"You don't want me anymore," Vincent whispered.

"No!" Laguna exclaimed, standing up suddenly and knocking over his chair. "I love you. I truly do! I've just…..I fucked up. I fucked up big. What I've done…..you'll leave. You'll never want to see me again and I don't want that!" Tears were flowing down his face as he stood looking at Vincent, his eyes pleading with his lover. Vincent felt his blood run cold. He'd fucked up? What he'd done would make Vincent never want to see him again? The gunman forced his voice out, fighting the urge to panic.

"What have you done?" he whispered, his voice so soft, the President only just heard it. Laguna took a deep breath, steadying himself and ploughing on.

"I went to see Kiros today to try and convince him to stay." Vincent closed his eyes. Oh, god, he didn't want to hear this. "We argued and then…..he and I….we….," Vincent stood up suddenly, silencing Laguna.

"I don't want to hear this," he said flatly, turning and striding towards the door.

"Vincent, please! Just let me finish," Laguna begged, starting after his lover. Vincent ignored him, slamming the door in his face as he left.

*****TBC*****


	9. Chapter 9

***** CHAPTER 9 *****

Squall Lionheart was a complicated man. Most people never realized it. They saw the cold exterior and deadly glare and instantly labeled him as one to be avoided and feared. That was true, to a point, but it was only a small part of the whole puzzle that was him. Growing up as an orphan, believing he'd been discarded by his parents for all of those years, had taught him how to separate his emotions from the outside world. How to hide his true self behind walls of steel that no-one could breach. He'd survived his childhood that way, cold and alone, never letting anyone see the frightened little boy that hid inside.

That shell of steel had made him into the man he was today. Commander of the Seed, an elite force of mercenaries who did everything from defeating evil sorceresses to culling monsters. Trained from childhood to be the best fighters the world had to offer. Fighting was what he did best, his one passion that he didn't have to hide.

Then everything began to change. He discovered he wasn't alone in the world. Laguna Loire, President of Esthar was his father. At first, he'd been angry and disappointed. His anger had faded quickly when it became clear that Laguna hadn't known he'd even existed. The President had been as shocked as he was to discover the connection between them. The disappointment had taken longer to subside.

Squall had always dreamed that his father was a warrior. Some-one strong and powerful that demanded respect. Laguna was none of those things. He had fought in the Galbadian army, but only as a common soldier with no love for battle. He was respected, but it was for his innovative thinking and his skills in negotiation and diplomacy, which were all talents that Squall saw little value in. In short, the two had nothing in common.

That fact didn't stop Laguna from trying to form a relationship with him though. The President had driven him crazy at first, trying to break down his walls and get him to open up. Eventually he had accepted that Squall felt smothered by him and had reluctantly backed off. They rarely saw each other in person after that, but Laguna insisted on calling every couple of weeks to chat and ask how he was. It was an arrangement that the Commander was comfortable with and it had continued that way for a couple of years.

Around seven months ago, everything changed again. At first, Squall hadn't been concerned. Laguna had been flat out handling the latest crisis in Esthar. Some strange being had come through a time flux and after first appearing to be dead, had miraculously come back to life, destroyed professor Odine's lab and disappeared into the city. He'd offered to assist but his father had declined his offer and told him he'd keep him informed of any future developments.

Two weeks later, as usual, Laguna called and said that there had been no more sightings of the creature. He was taking a week's holiday at his cabin in the Centra Mountains and he'd call again when he got back.

The next call from his father came two months later. Squall had begun to worry, not that he would admit it to anyone. Laguna had sounded strange, his usual cheerfulness was absent and it had been obvious that something was wrong. When he'd asked him about the news reports from Esthar that had announced that the missing creature had been found and killed, the president had been vague in his explanation and had hastily ended the conversation. After that he'd stopped calling completely. Three whole months of silence.

The whole series of events and Laguna's strange behaviour made Squall suspicious. It also pissed him off. He'd thought his emotional walls had stayed up but somehow the President had found a way into his heart and he had to grudgingly admit to himself that he missed him. As the time went by, the hurt grew, until finally Squall sent one of his most trusted Seed agents into Esthar to spy on his father.

The first report the Commander received only added to his concern. When Laguna came back from his holiday in the Centra mountains, he wasn't alone. Everywhere he went, he was accompanied by a new bodyguard. Nobody seemed to know where he'd come from or who he was. Why had his father never mentioned anything about this to him before? And why had he suddenly hired a bodyguard, after Squall had tried, on numerous occasions, to convince the man that he needed one, only to be told that it was unnecessary?

The Seed agent had included a couple of photos of the mysterious man and Squall looked at the first curiously. Well, the guy looked like a bodyguard. He was tall, long dark hair, not much older than Squall himself and had that alert but detached aura that personified bodyguards in general. The Commander noticed that the man had something black covering one of his arms. Turning to the second photo, he saw that the arm was bigger than his other, uncovered arm. A prosthetic limb maybe? Well, it wouldn't be a surprise that his father would hire someone with a disability. Laguna's big heart and sympathetic nature were his biggest weaknesses, as far as his son was concerned.

The next report stunned Squall. His agent had targeted the crew of the Ragnorak next, in an attempt to find out where they'd picked up the mysterious man and had found out that the new bodyguard had been with his father at his cabin. When they'd come aboard the airship, he'd been wearing a red cape and some weird kind of golden claw. What in Shiva's name? That creature _was_ the bodyguard? Laguna had gone on a holiday with a dangerous creature/man that fell through a time flux and destroyed Odine's lab with his bare hands? Had someone drugged his coffee this morning? Squall shook his head and decided enough was enough. He was calling his agent to tell him to return to Garden because he'd be taking over the investigation in person.

When he called, he was surprised to received one last piece of the puzzle. Kiros had resigned his position as the President's personal assistant and this Friday would be his last day before he retired to Dolet. The man had been his father's constant shadow for the last twenty years. For him to suddenly quit his job and retire to the other side of the planet meant one thing. Something was very wrong.


	10. Chapter 10

***** CHAPTER 10 *****

Squall arrived in Esthar on Wednesday morning and hired a room in the seedier part of the city where he wouldn't be recognized. He wasn't ready to confront his father until he understood more clearly what the problem was. He knew everything hinged on the unknown man and was determined to find out why and how he had suddenly gone from being a dangerous, escaped fugitive to the President's bodyguard and constant companion. After all, the Seed had a responsibility to ensure the peace and safety of all residents of the planet. Esthar was the most technologically advanced country and if its leadership was under threat, than he would have no choice but to interfere. His father's safety was his secondary concern. He had become very fond of the man, but he was unsure about his ability to defend himself against someone taking advantage of his softer side.

The Commander headed out onto the street and stopped at a newsstand to buy the latest city newspapers. The gossip magazines caught his attention and he picked up a few of them as well, returning to his room. Finding nothing of interest in the city news, he started flicking through the glossy pages of the magazines. They were full of photos of Laguna and his new bodyguard. Most had some kind of story linking the two as having a relationship. The news of Kiros resignation had only added fuel to the fire. 'Love triangle explodes' and 'President trades in old for new' were just two of the headlines that jumped out as he glanced over them. Squall felt his stomach twist. Could any of this garbage hold any truth? He tossed the magazines aside in disgust. The President was far too old to be letting his dick run his life. If he had been in a relationship with Kiros, would he really just end such a long term relationship to be with some new guy who wasn't much older than his son? The Commander was beginning to realize how little he knew about his father. He'd never even made an attempt to get to know the man better and had no idea what was going on in his personal life.

Squall sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He had at least one contact in the security department of the Presidential Palace and he was sure that he'd be willing to dig up more information for him. Time to make some calls.

*****

It was Friday, lunchtime, when Squall finally got a call back from his contact. The President had set up a meeting between Kiros and a Galbadian official for later that day. The contact had thought it might be of interest because there was no Galbadian officials in Esthar at the moment and none where scheduled to arrive either. The President had also cleared all his appointments for the afternoon. Interesting indeed, thought Squall, seeing an opportunity too good to miss. He talked the contact into setting up a hidden video camera in the room. The man was reluctant at first, but Squall managed to convince him that he only had the President's best interests in mind. Apparently, the palace security was suspicious of the new bodyguard as well and his contact was relieved that the Seed Commander was investigating the matter. When the meeting was over, the contact agreed to retrieve the video camera and bring it straight to a nearby bar where Squall would meet him. Finally, he would get some answers.

*****

The Commander stared at the video camera in his hands nervously. He knew this was a breach of his fathers trust. If Laguna found out he had been spying on him, he would be devastated. But what other choice did Squall have? He glanced around the near empty bar. Night had only just begun to fall and a few patrons had begun to wonder in. Most sat alone and immediately started drinking. It was a depressing place but Squall had picked it out because of that. It was unlikely anyone would bother him here. Well enough time wasted, time to get some answers, he thought as he flicked open the small video screen and pressed play.

Five minutes later he paused the tape and skulled his whole glass of beer in one go. It was answers he'd wanted and the video certainly had answered one of his questions. Kiros was leaving because he was in love with Laguna. The fact that Laguna felt something for Kiros in return was evident too. Squall signaled for another beer as he fast forwarded the tape past the two having sex. Damn, he was going to need something stronger to drink to forget that particular part. His beer arrived and he drunk half of it before continuing the tape. Laguna was freaking out about cheating on Vincent and was going to tell the guy what he'd done. So, the bodyguards name was Vincent and he was in a relationship with the President. More answers to his questions.

The next thing Kiros said nearly made him drop his beer. _What if one of the demons he's carrying around in his head makes an appearance and destroys the city?_ What the fuck? Squall rewound the tape and replayed it. He'd heard it right the first time. Oh, great. His father was in love with some freak with a head full of demons that had the power to destroy whole cities. Why would Laguna want someone like that over Kiros? Safe, dependable, trustworthy Kiros. Squall stopped the tape and deleted it, before dropping his head into his hands. Laguna was never going to fix this on his own. He would have to fix it for him. But what was he going to do? This time he ordered a bottle of bourbon and started drinking shots. He got half way through the bottle before his mind came up with something.

The first step would be to get the guy away from his father. If the President told him he'd cheated on him, them maybe the relationship would die on its own. Then again, his father would beg for forgiveness and probably talk the guy into forgiving him, given enough time. For a moment, he considered just killing Vincent himself. He dismissed the idea immediately. Laguna would never forgive him and he wasn't prepared to lose him again. Once Vincent was well away from Esthar, then he could destroy the threat. For now, he had to think of some way to separate them, to make Laguna never want to see Vincent ever again.

Squall glanced around and noticed the bar tender was serving a guy down the other end of the bar. A guy with long dark hair and one black arm. Shiva's tit's, it couldn't be him, could it? The Commander peered through the haze of the darkened bar. It was him. Vincent was sitting at the bar with a dark look on his face, drinking shots with the clear intent of drinking himself unconscious. One empty bottle of scotch sat in front of him and he was half way through a second.

Suddenly, an idea came to Squall as he glanced down at the video camera in his lap. Admittedly, it was a mean, underhanded and particularly evil idea. It was, however, an idea that would definitely work. The question was, could the Commander really sink that low, even to save his father?

*****TBC*****


	11. Chapter 11

***** CHAPTER 11 *****

The bar Vincent ended up in was dark and cold and it matched his mood perfectly. Every person in the place seemed to have the common goal of drinking themselves into oblivion and Vincent was thankfully ignored as he perched on a bar stool and stared at the wall. The two bottles of scotch he'd consumed over the last hour sat empty before him as he contemplated whether to order another or just leave and find a cozy spot in a nearby alley to pass out in.

Chaos was silent within him, having given up trying to incite his temper. The demon had wanted him to be angry, to take revenge for the pain that Laguna had caused him. The truth was, he wasn't angry, not even slightly. He was numb, frozen solid from his head to his feet. What the hell was wrong with him? Why did the ones he fell in love with always find someone else to be with? Why was he never good enough? Fuck, he was just so sick and tired of being the loser.

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, only to have images of Laguna flood his mind. Those beautiful blue eyes staring into his, the sound of his voice, the touch of his hands and the taste of his kiss. He opened his eyes again to escape the memories. Well, since closing his eyes didn't seem the best option right now, it looked like another bottle was needed. He lazily motioned for another and when it arrived he stood up from the bar stool and headed for an empty booth in the back corner, falling into the seat without his usual grace. He poured himself another shot, getting more on the table than in the glass and gulped it down. As he lifted the bottle to pour another one, warm hands wrapped around his, slipping the bottle away from him.

"What the…," he mumbled, turning his head to see who the hell had taken his scotch away.

"Let me do it. I hate to see good scotch go to waste," a voice replied flatly. Vincent's eyes slowly focused. Dark hair. Laguna? No, not Laguna. Hair's too short. Same eyes though. Beautiful blue. One eyebrow above those beautiful eyes rose up, as the stranger stood there, returning his stare and it suddenly dawned on Vincent that he was staring like an idiot.

"If you insist," he grumbled, turning his head in the opposite direction to hide his embarrassment. The stranger sat down and he heard him pour two shots, before one appeared before him. Vincent drank the shot and grimaced. The scotch had a bitter aftertaste. Funny, the last two bottles didn't taste like that, he mused to himself as he found his eyes being drawn back to the man beside him. This guy was young, maybe early twenties, with a deadly serious expression that didn't match his pretty face. A long scar between his eyes caught Vincent's attention, tugging at his memory. Someone had mentioned something to him about a man with a scar. What was it again? He just couldn't get his mind to focus. Those blue eyes turned towards him and Vincent noticed one side of his lips curve up in an almost smile. The guy turned away and continued pouring himself shots and drinking them down, unconcerned with the fact that Vincent had finished his drink and was staring at him again.

"If you're going to drink my scotch, you could at least tell me your name," Vincent stated, not really expecting an answer as he turned away and glanced around the bar. His vision began to blur slightly and he rubbed his hand across his eyes. He jumped when he felt a warm hand touch his face and turn it gently back around.

"No names," the stranger whispered, as he leant forward and kissed the startled gunman. Vincent froze. What the hell? His inaction didn't seem to bother the other man and he continued nibbling on his lips gently as his hands explored the gunman's chest. Vincent's alcohol drenched mind slipped into neutral and something else took over as he began to return the kiss, sliding his hand around the other mans waist and pulling him over to straddle his lap. The young man deepened the kiss, sucking on his tongue and making Vincent growl before thrusting his hips forward in an obvious invitation. Vincent almost voiced his disappointment when the stranger broke the kiss and looked at him intently.

"Follow me," he whispered, slowly extracting himself from the gunman's lap and standing up. Vincent slowly stood and let him lead him out of the bar and across the road to a block of units. As they climbed the stairs, Vincent began to doubt the sanity of his actions. What was he doing? He couldn't just sleep with a complete stranger. He stumbled up the stairs and found himself being held up by the young man who was now smiling at him in a way that made him feel extremely uncomfortable.

"Better get you inside quick," the man muttered, dragging Vincent in a door and dropping him on a bed. Vincent's head was spinning uncontrollably now and he closed his eyes, trying to make it stop. He felt someone climb onto the bed and opened his eyes to find blue eyes peering into his. Beautiful blue eyes…….Laguna's blue eyes.

"Laguna?" he whispered. The only answer he received was the press of lips on his and a warm body grinding against him. He closed his eyes and let his passion for the man he loved overtake him. The lips left his and started kissing his jaw, moving down his throat to his collarbone, sucking and biting gently. Vincent breathed in deeply and smelt the familiar scent of vanilla that always clung to Laguna and it pushed all other thoughts from his spinning mind. He was home in the arms of the man he loved. His Laguna. Nothing else mattered.

*****TBC*****


	12. Chapter 12

Author: Madisuzy  
Rating: 18+ (strictly adults only - no kiddies!)  
Warning: Men loving men – that means sex people. If you're not into it, don't read it. Oh and angst...truck loads of it.  
Fandom: FFVII and FFVIII  
Characters: Laguna, Kiros, Vincent and Squall  
Summary: I really wanted to read Laguna and Vincent together so I did it myself.  
Disclaimer: Don't own Laguna, Vincent, Kiros or Squall. If I did they would be naked more often.  
Thanks: Goldenhaire on LiveJournal and Alex on forums for their spellchecking, fact checking and general encouragement

_Authors Note: Tobi-Uchiha, DarkBombayAngel and JiLLiBeanz constantly review and I just can't thank you all enough! I'd also like to thank my new reviewer Divanora._

***** CHAPTER 12 *****

Laguna awoke on the couch of his private room and glanced at the clock. It was 4 am and he was still alone. He'd sat there all night, hoping that Vincent would come home. The urge to go out and search the city was growing stronger, but Laguna new it wasn't an option. As the President, he couldn't just walk out of the palace and wander around the city in the middle of the night. His position had never felt so much like a gilded cage as it did now.

Grasping the armrest of the couch, he slowly began to lever himself up when a sudden pain in his arm left him falling backwards. Great, a cramp was just what he needed right now to top off the worse week of his life. Rubbing his arm he decided he wanted a distraction, something to occupy his mind and pass the time until morning. The only thing that came to mind was work. Considering he'd taken the afternoon off, he was certain there would be a pile of paperwork waiting.

The halls of the Presidential Palace were deserted at such an early hour and Laguna made it to his office without having to explain his early morning arrival to anyone. He made himself a quick coffee in the adjoining kitchenette and settled into his office chair. A parcel sitting on top of the nearest pile of paperwork immediately caught his attention. _LAGUNA LOIRE – CONFIDENTIAL _was scrawled across the top. He opened it to find a digital video camera inside but no note of explanation. In fact, there was no indication at all as to where the parcel had come from.

The President flicked open the screen and found one file staring back at him. A shiver ran up his spine and he was struck with a sudden sense of foreboding. The urge to call Kiros swept over him without warning. Kiros would calm his fears and know what to do. He sighed as he realized that the option of having his friend deal with this was gone. Fuck, he'd managed to lose his best friend and his lover, all in the one day. Squall was right. He was an embarrassment.

He glanced at the tiny built in screen and decided to view the video through the large television that hung on his office wall. If this was something important, he'd need to get a good look at it and his eyes weren't as good as they used to be.

Pausing for a moment, he looked at the cables in his hand that his friend had left behind. Kiros had his own video camera and would often film various things when he was traveling around the world on official business. It had started as a way to kill the boredom of long flights and had developed into a much loved hobby. Laguna smiled, recalling how many times they'd sat together watching, eating popcorn and acting like a couple of kids. His smile turned into a frown when he remembered that they hadn't watched any in months. Not since Vincent had come into his life. Laguna had been so wrapped up in his new relationship that he'd been too busy when Kiros had suggested it. He'd turned his friend down a couple of times and then Kiros had stopped asking. He really had been neglecting his best friend over the past six months. No wonder Kiros thought he'd been replaced.

A sharp pain in his arm brought him back to the present with a jolt_._ He was definitely going to visit his doctor later. That or go get a massage. Vincent gave fantastic massages. So did Kiros. He closed his eyes, imagining the both of them rubbing away the tension in his body. Gods…….this train of thought was exactly what he didn't need right now.

"Time to get back to work, I suppose," he muttered to his empty office, as he selected the file and pressed play.

**.**

Kiros stepped out of the elevator slowly, savoring his last journey down the halls with more than a little melancholy. The Presidential Palace had been his home for so many years that every inch of it made him recall snippets of his past. Most of those memories also featured Laguna.

He knew Laguna loved him but it was a friendly, comfortable love. The love that the President felt for Vincent was stronger, deeper and more intense. It was a love that Kiros would never inspire from him, no matter what he did. There was only one path left for Kiros to take. He would follow his original plan and retire to Dolet.

His belongings were already packed from yesterday and he had been unable sleep, so he'd taken one last tour of the city. Its empty streets and darkened windows had mirrored his own emotional state, leaving him longing for the activity and brightness of morning. Finally, he'd decided to write Laguna a quick note and leave it in his office. By the time the President found it, Kiros would be long gone. It was better that way, for both of them.

Kiros paused outside Laguna's office doors, pulling the letter from his pocket and staring at it. He knew his friend would be hurt that he left without fixing things between them or saying goodbye in person. Unfortunately, he also knew that he didn't have the strength to look into those eyes and say goodbye. One glance and he'd never be able to leave.

He opened the door quietly, entering the office to find the desk light and television had been left on. Static crackled across the screen and as Kiros walked across the room to turn it off, something on the floor behind the desk caught his eye.

"What the hell?" Kiros muttered. He rounded the corner of the desk and froze in shock. Laguna lay on the floor, his face a pasty, grey mask.

"Laguna? Laguna!" Kiros shouted, hitting the emergency alarm under the desk and falling to his knees beside the President. He quickly checked his pulse and was relieved to feel a weak beat under his trembling fingers. That relief was washed away when he realized that Laguna was not breathing. No, not like this……Kiros would not let it end like this.


	13. Chapter 13

Author: Madisuzy  
Rating: 18+ (strictly adults only - no kiddies!)  
Warning: Men loving men – that means sex people. If you're not into it, don't read it. Oh and angst...truck loads of it.  
Fandom: FFVII and FFVIII  
Characters: Laguna, Kiros, Vincent and Squall  
Summary: I really wanted to read Laguna and Vincent together so I did it myself.  
Disclaimer: Don't own Laguna, Vincent, Kiros or Squall. If I did they would be naked more often.  
Thanks: Goldenhaire on LiveJournal and Alex on forums for their spellchecking, fact checking and general encouragement

_Authors Note: Tobi-Uchiha, DarkBombayAngel and JiLLiBeanz constantly review and I just can't thank you all enough! I'd also like to thank my new reviewer Divanora._

***** CHAPTER 13 *****

Vincent awoke to the sound of his phone ringing and his head pounding painfully in response. He slowly opened his eyes to find he had no idea where he was. The sun was shining a beam of light through a partially open curtain, illuminating the room before him as he cautiously sat up and looked around. He was in a plain, dreary looking room that had a bathroom off to one side and a single door on the opposite wall. A tattered looking list was stuck on the back of the door with MANAGERS RULES printed on the top. So, he was in some hotel room but how had he gotten here?

He closed his eyes, ignoring his ringing phone and tried to recall what had happened the night before. He'd gone to some dingy bar to drown his sorrows and run into Laguna. No, not Laguna. Some young guy who bore a striking resemblance to the President. Maybe the alcohol had made him look like Laguna. Maybe Vincent had finally lost his mind.

Everything after that was a blur. He had no memory of leaving the bar or how he had ended up in the hotel room. A shiver ran up his spine as he heard Chaos, deep within his mind, sniggering. Maybe it was best that he could not remember.

Sighing, he rose from the bed and retrieved his clothing off the floor, slipping back into his pants before locating his ringing phone in one of the pockets. Glancing at it he saw it was only 6am. Great, who was calling him at this time of the morning? When he looked at the caller I.D. he stared in surprise. Why the hell was Kiros calling him? Did the man have a death wish? He clicked through the menus of his phone and saw that there were 27 missed calls from him. He had to give the guy points for determination, if nothing else. Vincent took a deep breath, reigned in his rising temper and answered the call.

"What the fuck do _you_ want?" his hissed.

"Vincent, don't hang up! It's about Laguna. He…," Kiros' voice replied in a rush before he was cut off by the irate gunman.

"I have nothing to say to you on that subject," he growled into the phone.

"Wait! He's in the hospital and he needs you!" Kiros yelled into the phone.

"What did you say? Who's in the hospital?" Vincent asked as his anger dissolving into shock.

"Laguna is in the hospital. The doctors say he's had a heart attack. Please, Vincent! He needs you. Vincent? Vincent, can you hear me?" The gunman dropped the phone onto the floor, staring at it blankly.

**.**

Kiros returned to the hospital room and looked over the President. Laguna was lying on the bed with a disturbing amount of tubes and wires connected to him. A heart monitor beeped eerily next to the bed, interrupting the silence. He hated to see him like this. Kiros had an overwhelming feeling that he didn't belong here anymore. Vincent belonged here. Vincent was the one the President would want to see when he finally woke up. Kiros just hoped that the gunman was coming. He'd finally answered his phone but hadn't replied when Kiros had told him of Laguna's condition. The phone had simply gone dead.

Slowly slipping into the chair beside the bed, he reached out and grasped the President's hand. Cradling it gently in his own, he decided he would stay until Vincent turned up. He couldn't bear to leave him alone like this…..so helpless…..so still.

"Hang on, old friend," he whispered, unaware of the tears spilling down his face. Old friend. What kind of a friend was Kiros? He'd pushed his emotions onto Laguna, putting the President's relationship with Vincent into chaos and probably causing the heart attack that had nearly claimed his life. He was no friend. Laguna, by all rights, should despise him.

"Kiros." His eyes shot to the door to find Vincent standing there, his expression unreadable. Flinching he dropped Laguna's hand and jumped up from his seat to back into the wall behind him. Vincent approached the bed, his eyes locking onto the body that lay there. He leaned forward, pressing a kiss onto Laguna's forehead before gently brushing a stray lock of hair aside. Kiros edged towards the door with his head down. He didn't belong here, had no right to intrude into their lives after all the pain he had caused. "Thank you, Kiros," Vincent stated softly. Kiros stopped and looked up to find the gunman looking at him intently.

"What? Why would you thank me?" Kiros whispered.

"The doctors informed me that it was you who saved his life," Vincent replied, his face blank of emotion.

"But I……I caused this. You shouldn't be thanking me."

"This is my fault too," Vincent stated flatly, glancing back at Laguna before taking a few steps to stand in front of the trembling man. "Kiros, he will need us both to get through this." Kiros glanced over at the President before looking back at the gunman. The man was so composed that it made him feel like a child. An immature, selfish, stupid child. He mentally slapped himself and breathed in deeply.

"Someone needs to fill in for the President until he recovers. I know that Laguna would insist it be you. Could you postpone your retirement and do this for him?" Vincent waited for his response, his expression still a blank slate.

"Of course. I'll stay as long as I'm needed," Kiros answered. The gunman nodded and then turned back to the President, sitting in the chair beside the bed and effectively dismissing him. Kiros quickly exited the room and leaned against the wall in the hallway. He could do this much, at least. For Laguna he would do anything.

**.**

Vincent heard the door shut and breathed out roughly. It had taken all his self control to not throw his rival across the room. Every time he looked at the man, he was reminded of what Kiros and Laguna had done and that the President might not want him anymore. The gunman reached forward, holding the hand of the man he loved gently. As he stared at his unresponsive face, he thanked the gods that he had been given a second chance. He had to prove to Laguna that he was worth his love. He bowed his head down as another thought flittered by.

Kiros had made this possible.

The doctor had told him that Kiros had saved the President's life. If his rival had not found Laguna and resuscitated him, Vincent would be sitting next to a corpse right now. The thought of the man he loved being gone forever swept over him painfully. He owed Kiros more than he could ever repay. He owed him forgiveness. Somehow, he had to find a way to put aside what had happened and work with the man to ensure Laguna's recovery. After all, it would be up to Laguna to decide who he loved and wanted to be with.

Vincent leaned forward and gently rested his head against his lover's chest. The sound of Laguna's heart beating steadily in his ear was the sweetest sound he had ever heard. It was so hypnotizing that he didn't even notice the tears running down his face.


	14. Chapter 14

Author: Madisuzy  
Rating: 18+ (strictly adults only - no kiddies!)  
Warning: Men loving men – that means sex people. If you're not into it, don't read it. Oh and angst...truck loads of it.  
Fandom: FFVII and FFVIII  
Characters: Laguna, Kiros, Vincent and Squall  
Summary: I really wanted to read Laguna and Vincent together so I did it myself.  
Disclaimer: Don't own Laguna, Vincent, Kiros or Squall. If I did they would be naked more often.  
Thanks: Goldenhaire on LiveJournal and Alex on forums for their spellchecking, fact checking and general encouragement

_Authors Note: Tobi-Uchiha, DarkBombayAngel and JiLLiBeanz constantly review and I just can't thank you all enough! I'd also like to thank my new reviewer Divanora._

***** CHAPTER 14 *****

Kiros held his coffee with both hands, savoring the silence that had finally descended. The news of the Presidents hospitalization had spread within hours and the media had gone into a frenzy. When Kiros had returned from the hospital, the phones had been ringing constantly and the staff had been running around in a complete panic. He'd spent a few hours organizing the chaos and then called a press conference to make an official statement on Laguna's condition. The rest of the day had been full of meetings with officials and bureaucrats, most of them far more concerned with their own position than the health and well being of the President.

Slowly draining his cup and standing, he considered whether to drop in to the hospital and visit Laguna. He'd already called and been told that there had been no change. The President was stable but had not regained consciousness. There was little value in turning up just to duel words with Vincent, so he decided to go home and get some much needed rest.

As he walked towards the door, a video camera sitting under the television on the office wall caught his eye. Remembering that the television had been on when he'd found Laguna, his curiosity was raised as to what the President had been watching, alone in his office in the middle of the night. He picked it up and flicked open the display panel to find there was only one file on the device. Deciding that what ever was on it might have contributed to Laguna's heart attack, he turned on the television and pressed play.

What came up on the screen left him open mouthed and emotionally bitch slapped. There was Vincent, making passionate love to Laguna's son, Squall. Kiros' overworked brain just couldn't process it. It took him a full five minutes before he could make himself reach forward and stop the video. Yes, this would have definitely contributed to his friend's heart attack. Kiros felt like having one himself.

"Gods," he finally muttered to the empty office, rubbing his hands over his face. How the hell had Laguna gotten this tape? Kiros went back to the desk, looking through the paperwork and finding nothing. Next he checked the rubbish bin and found a plain box with the President's name and confidential scrawled on the top. The box had no post marks on it which meant it must have been hand delivered. Going back to the recording, Kiros pressed play once more and found that the time/date stamp in the bottom corner of the screen clearly indicated that it had been recorded late last night. Sitting down at the desk and picking up the phone, he called the head of security and requested that last night's recordings from the security camera outside of the President's office be sent over immediately.

While waiting for the tapes to arrive, Kiros closed his eyes. Had Laguna been spying on Vincent or was this delivered to him as some kind of blackmail? And what the hell was Squall doing in Esthar? Taking a deep breath, Kiros tried to make some sense of it all.

As far as he knew, Vincent and Squall had never met each other before. He'd spoken to Laguna about introducing the two men a couple of weeks after Vincent had arrived in Esthar. The President had been reluctant and finally admitted that he hadn't even told Squall about his new partner. He believed that Squall would over react and see Vincent as nothing more than a threat to be neutralized. Kiros had argued with Laguna, telling the President that he was sure Squall might react that way at first but would change his mind if he met Vincent and saw for himself that the man was no threat. After all, Laguna couldn't keep Squall from finding out forever. The President had grudgingly agreed and promised to deal with the matter as soon as Vincent had settled into his new life. Kiros was sure that Laguna had never followed through on that promise, so how had they met?

The two having a relationship behind the President's back was unlikely because the gunman spent most of his time shadowing Laguna. That left him wondering that maybe this had been a one off occurrence, as some kind of payback against Laguna for what he'd done with Kiros. Vincent finding, meeting and convincing Squall to sleep with him, all in one night was highly unlikely. Squall agreeing to hurt his father this way was also hard to believe.

Kiros opened his eyes to discover that he had forgotten to stop the recording when he'd checked the date before, but as he stood up to stop it, something on the tape caught his eye. The sex had stopped and it looked like Vincent was asleep. Squall was standing at the end of the bed, looking down at the gunman with a look of hatred. He then turned and stumbled into the next room, out of view of the camera and the recording stopped. What the hell was that look about? Kiros felt a migraine approaching. He had too many questions swirling around his head when what he needed where answers.

A knock at the door signaled the arrival of the security discs. He quickly thanked the security officer who delivered them and shut the door. It took a few minutes for him to unplug the video camera and plug in the disc player and then he settled back into the chair, using the remote control to fast forward through the hours of empty hallway vision.

The first disc had nothing of interest. About half an hour into the second disc, a person appeared at the end of the hallway and Kiros couldn't believe his eyes. Squall appeared in the hallway with the parcel under his arm, stumbling towards the President's office. He took his security keycard from his pocket and attempted to swipe it through the entry lock. It took him four tries before he succeeded and pushed the door open. Kiros stopped the disc and leaned back in the chair. Laguna's own son had delivered the video to him, but why?


	15. Chapter 15

Author: Madisuzy  
Rating: 18+ (strictly adults only - no kiddies!)  
Warning: Men loving men – that means sex people. If you're not into it, don't read it. Oh and angst...truck loads of it.  
Fandom: FFVII and FFVIII  
Characters: Laguna, Kiros, Vincent and Squall  
Summary: I really wanted to read Laguna and Vincent together so I did it myself.  
Disclaimer: Don't own Laguna, Vincent, Kiros or Squall. If I did they would be naked more often.  
Thanks: Goldenhaire on LiveJournal and Alex on forums for their spellchecking, fact checking and general encouragement

_Authors Note: Tobi-Uchiha, DarkBombayAngel and JiLLiBeanz constantly review and I just can't thank you all enough! I'd also like to thank my new reviewer Divanora._

***** CHAPTER 15 *****

An eerie silence had fallen over the Presidential Palace. Vincent walked quickly towards the President's office, impatient to know why he had been summoned there. He belonged by Laguna's side, not here verbally dueling with his rival. Kiros had demanded he come immediately, saying nothing about what he wanted or why the matter couldn't wait. When he arrived at the door he flung it open and strode in, glaring at the man sitting behind the desk.

"Shut the door," Kiros stated flatly, staring down the gunman without the slightest flinch. Vincent paused for a moment, considering his options before deciding to avoid a scene and shut the door.

"What do you want, Kiros?" he demanded as he approached the desk.

"I'll get straight to the point. I want to show you what Laguna was watching when he had his heart attack. Then, I want you to answer some questions," Kiros responded, his voice edged with anger. One of Vincent's eyebrows went up in response to Kiros' tone. The gunman reminded himself that he owed the man for saving Laguna's life, so instead of shooting him, he sat down in the nearest chair and folded his arms across his chest.

A hundred different possibilities of what the video contained ran through Vincent's mind. What appeared on the screen before him was none of them. In full colour, digital widescreen was Vincent, passionately screwing a beautiful young man's brains out. His mouth fell open as he gawked at the screen like a madman. It was the Laguna look alike from the bar and the video had been recorded in the hotel room that he had woken up in. No, this couldn't be happening. He had no memory of any of this. The tape stopped and Kiros was suddenly standing before him.

"Now, you are going to explain to me what you were doing fucking Laguna's son and why Laguna was given a video of it," Kiros hissed at him. Vincent couldn't breathe. Laguna's son? He had fucked Laguna's son? Laguna had been given a video of it? What the hell was going on? He opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was a whimper before everything started to spin and the world went black.

**.**

"Oh, fucking wonderful," Kiros muttered, staring at the gunman who had just passed out on the floor. So, that answered one of his questions. Vincent had obviously been unaware that the recording had been sent to the President. Kiros knelt down on the floor beside him and slapped his face, too pissed off to wait for the gunman to wake on his own. "Hey, wake the hell up!" he yelled. Vincent's eyes fluttered open and the look he gave Kiros was full of pain and devastation. "We need to sort this out now and you need to answer my questions," Kiros began as he helped the gunman sit up.

"I…I don't remember any of that!" Vincent stuttered out, pointing a shaking hand at the television screen.

"What do you mean, you don't remember?" Kiros asked incredulously. The gunman didn't answer. He just kept staring at the camera with those eyes open so wide and full of shock. Kiros had never imagined the man could look so young and vulnerable. Oh, fuck. Why the hell did he feel sorry for him? "Ok, Vincent. Just calm down and tell me what you do remember," he finally said. The gunman took a few deep breaths and then turned towards him.

"Laguna and I had dinner. He told me about……you." Kiros flinched but the gunman ignored it and continued. "I was…..upset. I went to a bar to drink. After drinking two bottles of scotch, I moved to a booth at the back of the bar. Then that guy came up to me. I thought it was Laguna at first……," he trailed off, his eyes moving to the blank screen once more. "Are you sure that's Laguna's son?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's definitely him," Kiros answered. "What happened after that?"

"I don't remember anything after that. It's all just……gone." Vincent turned back to Kiros. "I swear I had no idea that was Laguna's son and I have no memory at all of fucking him," he whispered, his eyes pleading for belief. He was either telling the truth or he was the best actor the world had ever seen.

"Vincent, I do believe you. I know that Squall was the one who delivered it to Laguna. The security camera outside his office showed him dropping it off. I just have no idea why he would do such a thing." Kiros sighed and looked away. He was well aware of the fact Squall had issues with his father in the beginning but he'd thought that Squall had gotten over his doubts and finally accepted Laguna as his father. He just didn't understand what had happened.

"Laguna's heart attack is my fault. He could have died because of me. You were right all along. I am dangerous to Laguna," Vincent began muttering until Kiros interrupted him.

"No, Vincent. This is not all your fault," he whispered, putting his hands on either side of the gunman's face and looking into his eyes. "We are all responsible for what happened to Laguna. Me, you and Squall." He released the gunman's face and sat down beside him. "You're not dangerous to Laguna. Gods, the man is so head over heels in love with you. Don't you realize that? I've never seen him love anyone else the way he loves you."

"He loves you too," Vincent replied softly.

"Yeah, but it's not the same," he replied, turning back to Vincent and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Look, we need to sort this out before Laguna wakes up. How about you go back and sit with Laguna and I'll track down Squall and find out what the hell his story is?"

"No. I want to be there when you talk to Squall," Vincent said, his eyes flaring angrily.

"Ok, as long as you know that shooting him is not an option," Kiros replied. The corner of Vincent's mouth twitched upwards a fraction as he nodded in response. Wonderful. Having Vincent and Squall in the same room, wanting to kill one another was going to be interesting. Then again, if anyone could intimidate the Seed Commander, it would be Vincent.


	16. Chapter 16

**** CHAPTER 16*****

Dealing with Squall Lionheart left Kiros thanking the gods that he never had children of his own. Kiros had been sure that whatever had made the commander angry enough to hurt his father would be forgotten as soon as Laguna's hospitalization was known to him. The fact that everyone in Esthar was talking about the President's heart attack since the news had broken this morning, and all of the television channels were constantly advertising what had happened, meant that his son must have heard by now. When it had passed 7pm and Squall had still not shown up at the hospital or called to ask about his father's condition, Kiros had started to re-evaluate his earlier assumptions.

At first, he reasoned that the Commander must be too ashamed to make contact. The fact that the man was a trained mercenary with the ability to disappear without a trace would mean that it would take them weeks to track him down. That idea was blown away when Kiros discovered that Squall had booked a room under his own name, as if he had nothing to hide from. He couldn't understand what the Commander was trying to prove.

Kiros paused in front of Squall's hotel room door, glancing back at Vincent who stood behind him, silent and unreadable. The past forty eight hours had seen his relationship with the mysterious gunman go through so many changes that it made his head spin. They were still far from being friends, but their common goal meant that they were, for the time being, working together on friendly terms. Kiros had to knock four times before the door swung open to reveal a half naked Squall Lionheart with his hair tussled, looking as if he had just gotten out of bed.

"Fucking typical," Squall muttered, leaving the front door open and disappearing into the bathroom. Kiros walked into the room, followed by Vincent who shut the door and took his place beside him.

"Is he always this friendly?" the gunman asked.

"He's usually worse, actually," Kiros responded. "He must have been expecting us." Any response that Vincent may have made was cut off by the return of the Commander, this time fully dressed. Squall froze mid step and stared, finally noticing who had accompanied his father's assistant on this visit.

"I think you know why we are here," Kiros stated, breaking the staring contest the other two men had been locked in. Squall's eyes flicked over to Kiros.

"If Laguna wants answers, he can come and ask for them himself," Squall said flatly. Kiros hid the surprise that washed over him. The Commander must have been sleeping all day and was completely unaware of his father's condition. Kiros was a little angry at himself for not considering that possibility but decided to withhold the news for the time being, hoping that he would be able to get some clarity to Squall's motives first.

"The President is unavailable at the moment but I can assure you, he will want to speak to you in the near future. In the meantime, I have some questions for you," Kiros said. He was relieved when Vincent remained quiet and didn't question his omission.

"Whatever," Squall muttered, as he sat down, crossing his arms.

"Firstly, I want you to tell me what you hoped to achieve with your actions last night," Kiros demanded. Squall glanced at Vincent before settling his eyes back on Kiros.

"What actions are you particularly referring too?" Squall stated evasively. Kiros took a deep breath. He wasn't in the mood for games and his day had already been far too long, so he decided to abandon tact.

"I am referring to the fact that you took advantage of you father's drunk boyfriend, filmed yourself fucking him and then delivered it to his office," Kiros responded. Vincent flinched beside him and Squall smirked at the gunman's reaction.

"For the record, it was him who fucked me and I'd like to know what makes you believe that I seduced him? He did, after all, manage to seduce my father in under a week," the Commander responded, deflecting the question without the slightest worry while smirking at Vincent, who was visibly tensing. Kiros was starting to doubt the wisdom of letting the gunman come here with him. It was quickly becoming clear that while Vincent was usually unreadable and near impossible to upset with words, when it came to Laguna the gunman couldn't control his reactions. Everything that had happened in the past day had left the gunman's emotions far too raw to hide.

"Firstly, Vincent had nothing to gain and a lot to lose by having sex with you. Secondly, I know that you are the one who delivered the tape to Laguna's office which leads me to believe you were behind the recording of it as well. The security cameras in the hallway outside of the President's office recorded you, stumbling down the hallway with the parcel that contained the camera. These facts lead me to the logical conclusion that you instigated the whole scenario after consuming too much alcohol to have more sense. What I want to know is why you would do this to your father?" Kiros answered.

"If the guy is so easily seduced, maybe he shouldn't be allowed to roam the streets without an escort," Squall answered smugly, still smiling at the gunman despite the fact it was Kiros that he was speaking to. "Why didn't you just ask Vincent what happened? Don't you trust him?" The gunman's eyes were beginning to shine a disturbing yellow colour and Kiros had a bad feeling that the confrontation was about to turn ugly.

"I have no memory of last night," Vincent growled.

"Well, that's very convenient for you. Isn't 'I don't remember' a classic excuse of the guilty? Maybe you should watch the video. It might jog your memory," Squall sneered back at the gunman. Kiros opened his mouth to speak but before he could utter a word Vincent was suddenly in front of Squall with his gun in the young man's face.

"Vincent!" Kiros yelled. The gunman didn't move. "Vincent, stand down now!" Vincent slowly lowered his gun, taking a step back while glaring at Squall. Kiros took a deep breath and turned his gaze back to Squall. The Commander hadn't even flinched and instead of fear it was anger that burned in his eyes.

"You are far too dangerous to be anywhere near my father!" he hissed at Vincent before turning his anger on Kiros. "As for you, I have some questions of my own I want you to answer. Why are you here, instead of Laguna? Has he completely disowned me now or is he just too busy to deal with his own son?"

Kiros realized that he was never going to get the answers he wanted this way. The Commander wasn't going to co-operate and would continue to bait Vincent until one of them ended up hurt or worse. Finding out the real reasons for Squall's actions was going to take time and a completely different approach. For now, the Commander needed to be told about his father.

"Squall, Laguna is not here because he is in the hospital. He collapsed early this morning after watching the video and the doctors believe that he had a heart attack." Kiros saw the anger drain away from the commander's face to be replaced by shock. Vincent suddenly turned and strode out of the room, giving no explanation of where he was going.

"What? He's.…is he going to be ok?" Squall asked, standing up and walking towards Kiros, ignoring the gunman's departure.

"We don't know. He hasn't regained consciousness yet and the doctors have said that it is too early to tell what damage has been done." Squall's usual stone cold face had taken on a look of fear.

"Can I see him?" Squall asked Kiros.

"Of course. It would be easier if you stayed at the Presidential Palace for now," Kiros added, hoping that the Commander would agree so he would be easier to question in the future. Squall nodded, gathering his belongings.


	17. Chapter 17

***** CHAPTER 17 *****

It had been three days since the President's hospitalization and there had been no change in his condition. Vincent had disappeared after the confrontation with Squall and had not resurfaced until the next night, walking in to the hospital silently, to take Kiros' place beside Laguna. The gunman had become even more withdrawn and Kiros had barely seen him between running the city and visiting Laguna. Squall completely ignored the gunman and disappeared into his room when he wasn't at the hospital. Kiros was getting sick and tired of being the only one acting like an adult and decided to use the upcoming weekend to try and sort both men out. He'd organized to talk to Squall first and the Commander had agreed to see him on Saturday after breakfast.

*****

Squall was on the balcony of the guest room in the Presidential Palace, staring out over the city. Kiros walked over and sat down beside him, glancing at the young man.

"It's time we sorted this out, Squall," he said softly. The commander didn't respond at first and made no indication that he had even heard Kiros' words. A few minutes passed in silence and then Squall turned to look at him.

"You want to know what my reasons and intentions were," Squall stated, rather than asked.

"Yes. I think it would be helpful to Laguna's recovery if we could sort most of this out before he wakes up," Kiros responded, returning Squall's gaze with a smile. The Commander leant back in his chair, closing his eyes and for a moment Kiros thought he wasn't going to reply.

"My intention was to protect my father," he whispered. Kiros saw his forehead crinkle into a frown as he continued. "My reasons….well, you were leaving him alone and unprotected because you couldn't stand to see the two of them together. As for Laguna, he was too obsessed with his new lover to see the danger he was in. So obsessed, that he forgot I even existed. I felt that I had to do something drastic to break the spell that Vincent had over him," Squall finished and opened his eyes, returning his gaze to the city below.

Kiros slowly digested the young man's words as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. All of this had started because Laguna hadn't told Squall about his new relationship. The President's inability to lie to his son had resulted in Laguna avoiding him. Squall, having no experience with being part of a family, knew only one way to deal with the rejection. The mercenary way. He'd spied on his father, found out about Vincent and somehow decided that the gunman was a threat. Kiros' retirement had convinced Squall that he needed to step in, break up Vincent and Laguna, thus protecting his father. The video had simply been a means to an end.

"Squall, do you realize now that Vincent is not a danger to Laguna? I don't understand what lead you to believe that he was in the first place. It is unusual for you to over react to a situation in such a way."

"What do you mean he's not a danger? Vincent does have demons in his head, doesn't he? Please, correct me if I'm wrong," Squall responded, turning to glare at Kiros.

"Yes, he has demons in his head but I can promise you, he has them under control. If he didn't, he would have killed me when he found out about…..," Kiros trailed off, not knowing how to admit what had happened to Laguna's son.

"About you and dad in the conference room," Squall finished the sentence for him. Kiros stared at him and felt his face blush deeply. Squall knew about that?

"Hang on. How do you know about Vincent's demons and about me and you father?" he muttered nervously.

"I told you, I spied on dad. Where do you think the video idea came from?" Squall replied. Kiros flinched. Oh Gods…..Squall had seen a video of him and Laguna fucking? He was seriously considering outlawing video cameras for the safety of the community.

"Squall I'm…..I'm so sorry you had to see that," he sputtered out.

"Not as sorry as I was," Squall responded, a genuine smile crossing his face. "Look, in retrospect, maybe I did over react." The Commander sighed, staring down at his hands despondently. "Seeing you and dad like that….well, it threw me. I didn't consider the fact that if Vincent had no control, he would have killed you immediately. I was sitting in the bar, watching the video and having a few drinks. I was expecting to listen in to your conversation and find out what was going on. Suddenly you're yelling at each other and then you throw him up against the wall and start screwing his brains out. Next thing I know, I've drunk half a bottle of bourbon and Vincent is down the other end of the bar. The rest…..kind of just happened. What can I say? It seemed like a good idea at the time?" Squall finished lamely. Kiros couldn't hold back the grin that spread across his face. He'd never thought that Squall could string so many words together, let alone admit that he was wrong. The Commander was human after all.

"Thank you for your honesty, Squall."

"Whatever," Squall mumbled. "Seeing Laguna like that, knowing I was responsible for it, made me rethink a lot of things." The Commander ran his hand through his hair and Kiros thought the action make him look like his father, so many years ago when Kiros had first met him. "Honestly Kiros, I have no idea how to be a son."

"All you have to do is communicate. The next time you're worried about Laguna, I suggest you call him up and ask what is wrong."

"Wow, Kiros. Full of good advice and a sex god. Who would have guessed," Squall teased with a little chuckle. Kiros grinned back. Squall Lionheart was joking and laughing with him. He felt like he'd entered the twilight zone.

*****

Squall sat down and grasped his father's hand in his. He had never been as ashamed as he felt right now. Laguna had finally, after twenty years alone, found someone that he loved and Squall had barged in and tried to ruin it. The fact that his intentions were honourable meant nothing.

Vincent's face appeared in his memory and he flinched as feelings of guilt and desire swirled and mixed in his head. How had Laguna managed to attract such a young, beautiful guy? _Kindness, compassion and honesty might have something to do with it_, he mused sarcastically to himself. His actions certainly proved he had inherited none of those qualities from his father. It certainly explained why he was alone and his father had two men in love with him.

Squall had to admit that Vincent loved Laguna. Even when the gunman had been too drunk to stand and drugged to near unconsciousness, he had only had sex with Squall because he had mistaken him for his father. Vincent had called him Laguna several times and had looked at him as if he was the most important person in the entire world. Squall had never experienced anything like it. Sure, he'd had sex before but no one had ever made love to him and the difference between the two was startling.

His inability to understand their relationship and his selfish need for Laguna's attention had led to the near loss of the father he had longed for his whole life. He was so clueless that even when he awoke sober the next day, he hadn't realized what a huge mistake he'd made. Instead, he had baited and insulted Vincent until the gunman had nearly blown his head off. Kiros had been the one to sit him down and try and make him realize the stupidity of his actions. The man had been by his father's side for twenty years and loved him unconditionally, staying to help fix everything, even though Laguna's love for Vincent was tearing him apart inside. He would always hold the greatest respect for his father's best friend. Kiros showed the kind of inner strength that Squall had always wished for. Instead, all he had were emotional walls that had blinded him instead of protecting him.

"I'm so sorry dad," Squall muttered, as he closed his eyes and lowered his head onto his father's chest. The hand he was holding gently squeezed his and Squall's eyes shot open to see Laguna, awake and smiling at him.

"You finally called me dad," Laguna whispered weakly.


	18. Chapter 18

***** CHAPTER 18 *****

Squall was weeping, his face buried in his father's chest. Laguna had both arms around him, one rubbing his back, the other running through his hair. The President couldn't help grinning despite his son's distress. His son was in his arms, crying for him and was finally calling him dad. Even though he felt like he'd been run over by a truck, this was still one of the happiest days of his life.

"I'm so sorry dad," Squall whispered between sobs.

"Hey. What are you sorry for? Did you put me in hospital?" Laguna asked only half joking. He'd been trying to remember how he'd ended up in hospital but nothing came to mind. Squall sniffled as his head rose to look at his father.

"I….," Squall began before pausing, his face wrinkling up into a frown. "Dad, do you remember what happened?"

"I don't remember how I got in here. Last thing I can recall was Kiros leaving for Galbadia to investigate the time flux. What happened to me?" Squall was staring at him, his eyes wide and shocked. Laguna got the impression he'd forgotten something very important.

"The doctors told us that you'd had a heart attack brought on by extreme stress," the Commander replied, looking away from his father. Laguna was shocked. He'd always been a healthy person and he hadn't been under any more stress than normal. "Dad, do you remember what month it is?" Squall continued, interrupting his thoughts.

"It was April. Not sure how long I've been in here, though," Laguna answered, the worry creeping into his voice.

"Dad, it's the middle of November," Squall answered, turning his eyes back towards his father. Laguna gawked at his son. November?

"Are you telling me I've been in hospital for seven months?" he finally mumbled out.

"No. You had the heart attack three days ago," Squall answered before standing and running his hand through his hair. Before Laguna had a chance to question him more he started for the door. "I'd better tell the doctors that you're conscious so they can check you over. I'll be right back." Laguna stared at the door as it closed behind him. Seven months of his life gone. What the hell had he forgotten?

**.**

Kiros was just approaching Vincent's door when his phone started ringing. He knocked as he pulled out his phone and answered it.

"Kiros. It's Squall. Laguna is awake and talking."

"What? Are you serious?" Kiros asked as he stared at the door opening before him.

"Yes. He seems to be fine except for…um," Squall trailed off.

"Except for what Squall?" Kiros asked impatiently. Vincent was standing before him now, leaning on the door frame and looking down at him expectantly.

"He's lost all memory of the last seven months. He's asking what he missed but I don't know what the hell to tell him." Kiros' shock was written all over his face as he stared at Vincent. If Laguna had forgotten the last seven months, than he'd probably forgotten Vincent too. The gunman was not going to take this well.

"Hang on. I'll be there in five minutes," he replied, hanging up the phone. How the hell was he supposed to tell Vincent that he'd been forgotten?

"Vincent, Laguna is awake….," he began but before he could say anything more the gunman had pushed past him and started running down the hall. "Vincent! There's something else you need to know!" he called after him but he'd already disappeared.

**.**

Vincent's mind was swirling like a typhoon. Laguna was finally awake. He had to see him, had to apologise and make him understand. Had to feel him in his arms again. He approached the door, pausing only to take a deep breath before opening it quickly. Squall was sitting beside his father smiling and Laguna was chatting away like nothing had happened. As they heard the door open, they turned to face him.

"Laguna?" Vincent whispered out, overcome to see his lover awake and smiling again. Laguna looked at him blankly before glancing at his son questioningly. Squall's smile disappeared as he stood and approached Vincent.

"Vincent? Didn't Kiros tell you about his memory?" he began but Vincent ignored him, walking past him to Laguna's side.

"You're finally awake," he continued, smiling broadly at the man he loved.

"I'm sorry. Do I know you?" Laguna asked, smiling back politely. Vincent flinched back visibly, the smile disappearing.

"You……you don't remember me?" he whispered. Laguna looked at him intently, his brow furrowing in thought.

"I seem to have forgotten. I'm sorry," Laguna repeated, turning to his son with a worried look. The door opened again and Kiros burst in, gasping for breath.

"Laguna!" he beamed at the President, crossing the room to embrace him in a bear hug. Laguna returned the embrace with a chuckle, grasping his best friend's hands as they broke the embrace. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been trampled by a herd of stampeding Behemoths. I'm more worried about the fact I've lost the last seven months, though. Could you at least tell me who this is?" he asked, looking towards Vincent.

The gunman had begun backing away from the bed, shaking his head and murmuring under his breath. _This was his punishment. This is what he deserved. He had betrayed him with his son and nearly killed him. This is how the gods punish those who are worthless_.

"This is Vincent," he said to Laguna, before turning towards the gunman. "Vincent? Vincent, are you alright?" Kiros said as he turned towards him, reaching out his hand. Vincent dodged the hand and fled out the door in a blur.


	19. Chapter 19

***** CHAPTER 19 *****

Vincent could only feel pain. His whole body burned with it and his mind screamed in response. He blindly ran up the stairs to the roof of the hospital, trying to contain the awakening demon until he reached it. He felt the blackness begin to swirl around him as he burst through the door and fell to his knees. He opened his lips to scream but no sound escaped as Chaos overtook him.

**.**

Kiros ran after Vincent with every thing he had. His leg muscles were burning, his breath failing but he didn't stop. Vincent was like a man possessed, dashing up the stairs completely unaware of Kiros calling out behind him. Kiros saw a black mist begin to swirl around the gunman as he reached the roof top door and flung himself through it. He followed a few seconds later, running through the open door and nearly crashing into a huge pair of black wings. Skidding to a halt he stared at the demon before him. It had its back towards him and he froze in fear, having no idea what the hell he should do.

A gust of wind blew across the roof, slamming the door shut behind him with a loud bang and making Kiros yelp in surprise. The demon spun around in a blur of movement and Kiros was suddenly slammed into the wall beside the door, face to face with it's yellow eyes. The creature wasn't touching him, but it was so close that Kiros could feel it's breath on his skin. He closed his eyes, too terrified to keep them open. So this was how he was going to die. He hoped it would be quick. He heard movement in front of him and tensed in expectation. Then there was nothing. The seconds became minutes and still nothing. Kiros slowly opened his eyes to find himself alone on the roof. The relief that washed over him was so powerful, his legs gave way and he slid bonelessly down the wall.

**.**

It was past midnight when Kiros entered his room. He'd sat on the roof, staring at the night sky for hours in the vain hope that Vincent would return. Eventually, he'd given up and after checking in on a sleeping Laguna, decided that there was nothing else he could do.

Squall had phoned when he was walking back and they'd both agreed that tomorrow they would start telling Laguna about what he'd forgotten. The last two weeks wouldn't be part of the conversation until they were sure that the President was strong enough to handle it. Whether Vincent would be part of this or not would be up to the gunman whenever he came back. Kiros hoped he would agree to be there too. He knew this was incredibly painful for Vincent but he really believed that if the two spent time together, Laguna would remember him.

Kiros headed straight to the bedroom, flopping down on the bed with a sigh and closing his eyes. An hour later, he was startled from his sleep by a loud thump that came from his bedroom balcony. He opened the doors to find Vincent huddled in a ball against the railing.

"Vincent? Vincent, can you hear me?" The gunman groaned in response and slowly opened his eyes. "Good to have you back," Kiros added with a smile. "Come on, it's freezing out here. Let me help you inside." He helped Vincent to the bed and sat beside him, grabbing the blanket and tucking it around the gunman.

"Kiros," Vincent whispered. Kiros stopped his mothering to look down at the gunman's face. Tears ran down his pale cheeks and his eyes held so much pain that it hurt to look at them. He wished there was something more he could do for him. Kiros pulled the gunman up into his arms and Vincent folded into him with no resistance.

"It's gonna be ok Vincent. The doctors said that Laguna could get his memory back at any time. Even if he doesn't, he fell in love with you once and I'm sure he will again. You can't lose hope now," Kiros murmured into the gunman's ear, as he rubbed his back soothingly.

"Why are you helping me?" Vincent whispered into his shoulder.

"Because Laguna loves you, even if he doesn't remember right now and you made him happier than I've ever seen him. He deserves to be happy and so do you," Kiros replied.

"Thank you," Vincent answered softly, pulling back to look at him intently. Laguna was one lucky man in his opinion because even after crying, Vincent was beautiful. A lonely tear escaped and began its journey down the gunman's cheek and Kiros reached forward and wiped it gently away. Vincent's eyes closed and he leaned into the touch, sighing sadly. Kiros swallowed nervously, uncomfortable with the sudden intimacy. Despite his good intentions, his whole body was flooded with desire. He wouldn't act on those urges though. Vincent was so vulnerable now and he needed support not another lover. It would be a lot easier if the guy wasn't so damn irresistible. Vincent's eyes opened again and Kiros felt his face blush deeply. Gods, he really had to put some space between himself and the gunman now.

"Chaos has developed quite a fondness for you," Vincent said, a little smile playing at the corner of his lips. "I'm beginning to understand why." Kiros tried to form a response but his brain refused to comply. He simply sat there, his face flaming and his eyes staring. Vincent reached out his hand and ran a finger gently over one of Kiros' blushing cheeks before sighing and lying back on the bed, pulling the other man with him. Kiros closed his eyes, settling his head against Vincent's chest and letting the sound of his heartbeat sooth his nerves and hypnotize him into slumber.

**TBC**


	20. Chapter 20

******* CHAPTER 20 *******

Kiros usually woke early, eager to start his day. Today was definitely not usual. For starters his big, lonely bed was not so big and lonely. Secondly, there was a warm, beautiful young man under him. Well, partly under him. He looked up and blushed when he realised that the gunman was awake and looking at him sleepily through half open eyes. Maybe now would be a good time to remove his leg which had somehow entwined with Vincent's during the night.

"I….um…sorry about that," Kiros murmured lifting his head from the gunman's chest and moving his traitorous leg.

"You have nothing to apologize for," Vincent answered sleepily, raising a hand to gently cup his cheek. "It is I who should be apologizing."

"Why would you need to apologize to me?"

"I have misjudged you. I saw you only as competition. I am sorry for not attempting to get to know you first," Vincent said, running his thumb along Kiros' jaw. Kiros shivered and sat up, embarrassed by his body's obvious reaction to the other man's touch.

"Don't apologize, Vincent. Gods, if you remember I did try to shoot you before I even said hello," Kiros muttered, looking away from the young man.

"Lucky that I'm fast," Vincent responded. Kiros turned back to look at the gunman. There was so much about him that he'd never bothered to find out, he realised guiltily.

"Is it the demons that make you so fast?" he asked softly, hoping that he hadn't pushed their blossoming friendship too far with the question.

"No. I feel in love with a woman who was married to someone else. Unfortunately, her husband was an insane scientist who specialized in human experimentation. He shot me and I became one of his lab rats. I was injected with various substances and had parts of me replaced which is where most of my abilities come from. All my demons, except for Chaos, were added to sustain my body through the experiments. I began to die, despite the demons and then the woman I loved added Chaos to keep me alive," Vincent finished sadly.

"Vincent," Kiros whispered, leaning forward to hug the young man tightly. He was so blown away by the gunman's story that he had no idea what to say. He hoped his actions would be enough. He felt Vincent's arms surround him and he sighed softly into his shoulder. "Does it hurt when he comes out?" he finally asked.

"Yes," Vincent replied sadly. "Once the transformation is complete, I have no control over Chaos. I can see what he sees, hear what he hears and communicate with him but have no ability to stop him from doing whatever he wants. Luckily, he prefers the taste of creatures to humans. He's quiet fond of the Malboro's that seem to thrive on the Esthar continent." Kiros had never been thankful for the presence of Malboros until that day.

"Is that why he didn't kill me?" he asked curiously, pulling back to look into the gunman's ruby eyes.

"I told you last night that he is fond of you. He finds your dedication to Laguna intriguing and your ebony complexion beautiful," Vincent responded with a smile. "I have to agree with him on both points," he added leaning forward to lay a kiss on Kiros forehead. Kiros began to wish he was somewhere else. It felt so good to be here in Vincent's arms, being treated so tenderly but he knew it was wrong. Vincent belonged to Laguna and he'd already done enough harm to their relationship.

A loud knocking on the door gave him the escape he was looking for and he bounded out of bed to answer it, swinging the door open to find Squall standing outside looking agitated.

"What's wrong, Squall?" he asked brightly, happy to be saved from temptation.

"It's 9.30. You were supposed to meet me in Laguna's room at eight. What's the problem?" Squall asked flatly.

"Fuck, it's nine thirty? Sorry, I must have slept in. I'll be ready in five minutes," Kiros answered, ushering him inside and shutting the door. "Can I get you a coffee or something?"

"No thanks. You could tell me what he's doing here though," Squall said pointing over Kiros' shoulder. He turned to see that a sleepy and shirtless Vincent had just walked out of his bedroom and stood blinking at them both.

"Just hang on a minute. Before you go jumping to conclusions, it's not what you think," Kiros began before wincing at his choice of words.

"Second thoughts, I don't want to know. Honestly, I think I know too much already. I'm going to wait with Laguna. Hurry the fuck up," Squall grumbled, turning and leaving while Kiros was still searching for the right words.

"Ah fuck," Kiros muttered, leaning his head against the wall. This was not a good start to the day. He tensed as strong arms wrapped around him from behind and a warm body pressed against his back.

"You worry too much," Vincent whispered in his ear. Kiros' whole body began reacting to the sudden nearness of the young man and a whimper escaped his lips before he could contain it. Vincent chuckled and released him slowly, his hands tickling Kiros' sides as they slipped away. Fuck, he was getting way too old for this shit.


	21. Chapter 21

******* CHAPTER 21**** *******

Laguna smiled fondly at Kiros across the dinner table. Despite spending all day with him, Kiros had somehow managed to arrange a special dinner to celebrate Laguna's recovery and had even convinced the doctors to let him leave the hospital for a few hours. The only disappointment had been Squall's absence. His son had received a message just before dinner and had gone to make some calls and sort out a problem that had emerged back at Garden in his absence.

It had been a long day, with Kiros filling him in on the business side of his lost seven months. He'd only glossed over the personal side of things but what he had said had left Laguna with more questions than answers. Vincent was his lover. He still had difficulty believing it. He grinned to himself, pushing his dinner across his plate absently as he pondered the reality. Sometimes the universe wasn't such a bad place after all.

"Ok Laguna. Gonna let us in on what's so funny?" Kiros teased from across the table. Damn, the man didn't miss a thing. Laguna blushed at being caught out with his thoughts and laughed nervously, looking up at Vincent.

"Nothing. I…..um….just don't understand a couple of things you said today. Now that Squall's gone, could I ask exactly how Vincent and I got together?" he asked, trying to deflect the conversation from his naughty thoughts. Kiros glanced at Vincent but when the gunman remained silent he looked back at Laguna apologetically.

"I wasn't there. I only met Vincent when I came to pick you up. You two were already together by then. Vincent, how about filling him in?"

"It's hard to explain," Vincent responded softly. "After the incident in your room, I'd worked out where I was and what had happened from the media reports. I wanted to speak to you again, to apologize for my behaviour and to…." His words trailed of and he seemed to be struggling to explain his intentions. "Honestly, you fascinated me. The leaders of my world are heartless, greedy and untrustworthy. You seemed to be the complete opposite. I followed you to the cabin and we met," he finished quickly.

"But how, exactly, did we meet? Did you knock on the door? It's just that, at that time, didn't I think that you were a dangerous escaped creature or something?" Laguna pressed on, looking at Vincent and refusing to let the gunman avoid the details.

"I….I was in your room, watching you sleep and you woke up from a nightmare. I introduced myself and apologized for my previous behaviour," Vincent stated nervously. Kiros began to chuckle and Laguna couldn't help smiling. The gunman looked adorable when he blushed. His brain kicked into gear and he realised that the young man had been hiding in his room, watching him sleep.

"Were you stalking me, Vincent?" he asked, grinning like an idiot. Vincent looked down, shame faced and Kiros' chuckle increased to a deep laugh.

"Gods, you two are so cute," Kiros said happily. "Come on Vincent. You have to tell us how Laguna reacted to finding you in his bedroom in the middle of the night. Did he scream in terror?"

"Hey!" Laguna said indignantly. "What makes you think I'd scream like a girl?"

"He stood up, got tangled in the sheets and fell over…..twice," Vincent answered with a grin. Laguna's face flamed and Kiros laughed so hard he couldn't breath. Laguna tried to frown at Vincent and failed, laughing out loud as well. Oh well, he'd made a fool of himself again. At least it hadn't seemed to turn Vincent off.

"Would have loved to hear the conversation after that. Did he beg for mercy?" Kiros teased.

"There was no conversation. He stood up again and fell forward into my arms naked. I kissed him and then….," Vincent's voice trailed off as he grinned at Laguna suggestively. Laguna was gaping back at him in disbelief.

"Bullshit! You're just making this up!" Laguna exclaimed. "Oh Kiros, shut the hell up," he added, pouting at his friend who was now on the floor, laughing hysterically.

"Sorry but the look on your face was priceless," Kiros said from the floor. "Oh, and he's telling the truth. He never lies. Just goes quiet and says nothing if he doesn't want to tell the truth. Takes some getting used to." Kiros crawled back up onto his chair, wiping his eyes and looking at the gunman fondly. Vincent smiled at him before turning back to gaze at Laguna.

"It's true. You threw yourself at me." Vincent smirked at the President and Laguna smiled back in spite of his embarrassment. He was mortified that he had been so easy to seduce. Another question popped up in his mind and he grasped it, hoping to change the subject.

"You two get along so well. How did your first meeting go?" he asked. Kiros began choking on his drink and coughed a few times before covering his face with his hands.

"He tried to shot me," Vincent replied casually. Kiros groaned and Laguna looked horrified.

"He tried to shot you?" Laguna sputtered.

"Oh, come on! I thought Laguna was in danger," Kiros whined from behind his hands.

"Bullshit," Vincent answered. "I had my tongue down his throat. I hardly think that looked dangerous."

"I hate you," Kiros muttered, his hands still over his face and Vincent started to chuckle softly.

"Kiros, why did you try to shoot him?" Laguna asked curiously.

"He was jealous," Vincent answered for him, smiling cheekily. Kiros dropped his head to the table and moaned in humiliation. Kiros had been jealous of him and Vincent? Kiros was attracted to him?

"I still hate you," Kiros muttered dejectedly.

"Don't worry Laguna. It took you six months to discover that before. Even then you only found out when Kiros….hey!" Vincent yelped as Kiros kicked him under the table. "Oh, fuck….sorry Kiros," the gunman added, his face growing serious.

"I only found out when Kiros what? There's no way in the world you two are getting out of this room without finishing that sentence," Laguna demanded, his agitation at his memory loss surfacing. Kiros finally lifted his head, looking like a lost puppy. Vincent just stared at his hands, refusing to say anything more.

"Laguna, you've only been awake two days. I really think that this would be alot for you to take right now. I'd rather wait and ….," Kiros began before Laguna interrupted him.

"Oh no you don't. I'm not about to have another heart attack so you can just forget about putting this off. I want to know what happened right now. Do you have any idea how fucking annoying it is to not be able to remember any of this? Kiros, please tell me what happened." Kiros looked at him sadly before turning his eyes to the table before him.

"Um….well, after six months of trying to get used to you and Vincent being together, I decided to retire and leave. I'd done a good job of avoiding you up until my last day when you tricked me into seeing you by setting up a fake meeting with a Galbadian official. I was pretty mad when you turned up instead and tried to convince me to stay," Kiros paused, chewing on his lower lip nervously. "I started yelling and you yelled back and then….um….well…."

"Then what? You told me you liked me?" Laguna asked frowning.

"He threw you up against a wall and fucked you senseless, from what I saw," Squall answered from the doorway. All three men spun around in their seats to stare at the Commanders sudden appearance. "What? It's true, isn't it?" he added flatly. Laguna glanced at Kiros who looked like he was trying to disappear into his seat. Kiros had……oh, fuck. He'd been unfaithful to Vincent with Kiros. He glanced at Vincent who was looking at him, concern shining from his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Vincent," he whispered. Damn, he was beginning to wish he hadn't asked. No wonder nobody had wanted to tell him.

"It's ok, Laguna. Kiros and I have been working this out, while you were unconscious. We've made our peace with each other," he stated, leaning forward to take the President's hand in his. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I'm ok. Just shocked. All this…well it's a lot to absorb in one day," he replied, sweezing Vincent's hand. "Hang on a minute," he said, looking at his son. "You said, _from what I saw._ Are you telling me you saw us?"

"You stopped calling me. I got worried so I sent one of my agents to Esthar to check out what was going on. He reported back that Kiros was leaving and you had a mysterious new bodyguard that bore a striking resemblance to the creature that had destroyed Odine's lab, so I came here myself to find out what was going on. When I heard that you and Kiros were going to be in the conference room, I set up a video camera and when I watched it later, I saw what happened."

"Fuck," Laguna muttered. "I'm sorry you saw that, Squall."

"Don't worry, I'll live. Pretty impressive for a couple of old guys," he joked, smirking.

"You're not even slightly funny," Kiros muttered, glaring at him. Squall just raised an eyebrow at him and continued to smirk.

"I think we should call it a night. Laguna needs to rest and I think he's had enough revelations for one day," Vincent stated, as he gazed at the President. Squall and Kiros said their goodnights and left, leaving Vincent to see Laguna back to his room.

Vincent was quiet as he walked Laguna back, refusing to leave until the President was in bed and resting comfortably. As he began to turn away from the bed, Laguna reached forward and grabbed his hand, pulling the gunman back around to face him. Vincent looked down at him with a smile and the President couldn't resist leaning up to gently kiss him on the lips. He heard the young man sudden intake of breath and was worried for a moment that he had done the wrong thing. That thought was washed away when Vincent threaded a hand behind his head and kissed him deeply, their tongues dancing lightly together. As they drew back from the kiss, Vincent smiled affectionately before saying goodnight and leaving the room. The President realized that even if he never remembered the last seven months, he still wanted this beautiful man in his life. An image of Kiros flittered across his mind unexpectedly and he couldn't help but wish that there was some way that he could have them both.


	22. Chapter 22

******* CHAPTER 22 *******

Six months had passed since Laguna had woken up and life was slowly returning to its usual routine of board meetings and boring official duties. The President was back at work full time with Vincent still acting as his bodyguard and following him everywhere. At first, Laguna had seemed uncomfortable with the constant presence of the young man he couldn't remember, but over time he had seemed to get used it and the two could be found chatting together whenever they had a free moment. Kiros was relieved that both men were growing closer again. Seeing them together no longer hurt Kiros, like it had before, even though his feelings for Laguna remained unchanged.

He had resumed his job as the President's assistant, after Laguna had refused to accept his resignation and announced that he couldn't do his job without his friend beside him. Kiros had been relieved at Laguna's insistence and had agreed to come back with minimal coaxing. Spending all day with his two best friends was something he really didn't want to give up and even a room full of stuck up, arrogant officials couldn't dissuade him from discovering a new found love for his job.

Squall had returned to Garden weeks ago, after being convinced by Laguna that he was completely recovered and would not over do things at work. He called his father every Monday night, without fail and Laguna was delighted at his son's complete change in behaviour. Kiros knew that Squall's new attitude had more to do with a guilty conscious than anything else but he let it slide as long as it made Laguna happy.

Laguna had been told everything that he had forgotten except for one thing. He still had no idea about what really had happened the night of his heart attack. He had been told that he was up late working and the heart attack had been a result of stress and not enough sleep. Luckily, Laguna had seemed to accept the reasons and had never brought the subject up again. Squall had managed to convince both Vincent and Kiros that there was no point in telling him the truth but as time went by, Kiros had started doubting the wisdom of keeping such a secret from the President. If life had taught him anything, it was that these kinds of things were better out in the open and dealt with than bottled up inside. He knew that Vincent felt a huge amount of guilt over what had happened and keeping it from Laguna only increased the gunman's sense of betrayal.

Vincent had become a regular visitor to Kiros' rooms, often dropping in after work to have a drink or two and chat. The gunman had moved out of the President's quarters and had an apartment of his own in the Presidential Palace now, but Kiros was aware that the young man hated being all alone. After living with Laguna for six months, he had become accustomed to the constant company and was having trouble dealing with living alone again. Vincent understood and agreed with Laguna's need for space and considering the President didn't remember their previous relationship, it would have been awkward for the two to continue sharing an apartment. So instead, the gunman seemed to be constantly making excuses to come and visit Kiros, not that he minded the company.

Vincent was a completely different person when they were alone and it had taken Kiros a long time to get used the other side of Vincent. Whenever anyone else was around, Vincent remained unchanged but as soon as he and Vincent were alone the young man would constantly touch him affectionately. He hugged him in greeting and parting, and while they were together he would often reach over to touch Kiros' face gently or run a finger absently down his arm. It was as if he needed something to replace the hole that Laguna's physical absence had left in his life and Kiros had to admit that he enjoyed the affection of the beautiful man even though he knew that he had become a kind of replacement for Laguna. He also feared that as soon as Vincent and Laguna's relationship deepened into a physical relationship again, he would be left behind and forgotten. At first the realization had saddened him but eventually he had decided to enjoy it while it lasted. The gunman never attempted to kiss him or take it any further and Kiros grew used to the intimacy over time.

**.**

Two months later, Laguna's continued reluctance to deepen his relationship with Vincent began to worry Kiros. Considering the fact that the first time the two men had met, they had slept together, Kiros had assumed that history would repeat itself as soon as Laguna had recovered fully from the heart attack. Laguna, however, seemed determined to take it slow.

Vincent insisted that something had changed with Laguna in the last couple of months and he felt as if the President was pushing him away. The gunman had tried to discuss it with Laguna but he had refused to elaborate, instead telling Vincent that he was just busy at work. Kiros had seen the desire in Laguna's eyes when he looked at Vincent, so he was lost as to what could be stopping the President from wanting more from the gunman.

Laguna's new found celibacy wasn't the only difference that Kiros had noticed. To most people he seemed unchanged, but Kiros had noticed that the President had became more serious and had seemed to have buried his more playful side in favour of acting more mature. He also appeared determined to prove to the world that he was not frail or weak as some media reports had claimed after his recovery.

Kiros was most grieved at the distance that had grown between himself and Laguna. Things had been going so well and their friendship had been as strong as ever at first. Then around the same time that Vincent had noticed a change with the President, Laguna had started using work as an excuse to avoid him too, rarely dropping in to visit him like he'd done before. Kiros had tried to ask if he had done something to upset his friend but Laguna would just dismiss his concerns and change the subject.

Sometimes he wished he could wave a magic wand and turn things back to the way they were before but he knew there was no going back. Kiros just wanted to know what had changed. He hoped whatever it was would pass quickly because he was starting to miss Laguna.


	23. Chapter 23

******* CHAPTER 23 *******

Four weeks later, Vincent approached Kiros' rooms for their usual Friday night drinks in a foul mood. He knocked on the door forcefully and stood back, barely containing the urge to punch the wall in frustration. Kiros opened the door slowly, looking up and greeting him without his normal cheerfulness.

"Kiros, it's getting out of hand. Something is definitely wrong and we have to find out what it is," Vincent muttered, striding into the room and forgoing his usual hug to pace the floor angrily. When no answer came from his friend, he stopped pacing and looked up to see Kiros looking at him miserably. "What's the matter," he asked, his own anger momentarily forgotten in the face of Kiros' distress.

"He started sending me memos. Instead of calling me to talk like he always has, he's sending me fucking memos like I'm some kind of office clerk he's never met," Kiros muttered sadly. Vincent strode over and wrapped his arms around the smaller man, cradling him against his chest and sighing deeply. So, Laguna was giving Kiros the same treatment that he was receiving. He'd been right all along. Something was eating at the President and it had gone on long enough.

"We have to confront him. Somehow, we have to force him to tell us what the problem is," Vincent said flatly.

"What's going on with you and him?" Kiros mumbled from his chest. Vincent released him from his embrace and sighed deeply.

"You know how Laguna and I came to an agreement that we would spend every Saturday night together, no matter what? Well, guess who's staying home tomorrow night because he's tired and wants to go to bed early? It was the same pathetic excuse last weekend, too. We haven't spent a moment alone in two whole weeks and he just doesn't seem to give a shit." Kiros looked up at him sadly and shook his head.

"You're right Vincent. This has gone on long enough," he said, a sudden determination creeping into his voice. "Tomorrow night, I suggest we pay our little President a visit."

"What if he refuses to tell us anything?" Vincent asked.

"Well…..we could always tie him up to the bed and you could torture him until he answers. Might improve his libido, if nothing else," Kiros joked, grinning cheekily at the gunman.

"You're a little scary sometimes, Kiros," Vincent responded dryly.

**.**

Kiros woke up on Saturday morning to the sound of his phone and fell out of bed, stumbling across the room to answer it. He was surprised to hear Squall's voice greet him.

"Hey, Squall. What can I do for you?" he asked sleepily.

"I'm calling because something is up with Laguna. You told me to communicate when something was up but he won't tell me what's wrong. Can you tell me what the problem is?" Squall asked. Kiros had to control the urge to laugh at the young man but he was a little chuffed that the Commander had actually listened to him and was reaching out to him for help.

"Yeah, just last night I was talking to Vincent about the same thing. We're going over to see him tonight and try and work out what the problem is. What made you think that something was wrong?" he asked curiously.

"He's starting to act funny, like last time. Thought I should do something before he started ignoring me again," Squall replied. "You don't think he could have remembered what happened the night of his heart attack, do you?" he added nervously. Kiros' whole body woke up at the question. Fuck, he hadn't even considered that one.

"Gods, I hope not," Kiros said, unable to keep the panic out of his voice.

"It's just that…um….well, after everything that has happened, I figured that it was time I admitted something else to you." Kiros' panic rose in a wave. There was more that Squall had done? Gods, he really didn't want to know. "That night at the bar, I was more at fault than I admitted. Even though Vincent was paraletic, he still wanted nothing to do with me. I drugged his drink and he only slept with me because he thought I was dad. Called me Laguna over and over," Squall said and Kiros could hear the embarrassment in his voice. Kiros head was spinning. He didn't know whether to be relieved at Squall's revelation or really pissed that he had drugged Vincent and never admitted it. Instead he chose to take the high road and be thankful that he could now ease some of Vincent's guilt over the whole scenario.

"Squall, I hope you realize I'm going to have to tell Vincent about this now," he said, hoping the Commander wasn't going to try and insist on more secrets.

"Yeah, I was kind of hoping that you would tell him for me. I was a little worried about him getting angry and one of those demons of his coming after me. I know Laguna would be really pissed if one of us got killed in the fallout," Squall said sheepishly. Kiros laughed out loud and heard Squall swear at him.

"I think it should be fine. He'll be a little angry but I'm sure he'll be relieved to know why he still can't remember any of that night," Kiros reassured him. "And Squall, thanks for telling me the truth. It must be hard for you to admit that."

"Yeah, whatever. I'll leave it all in your hands. Thanks Kiros. You're worth your weight in gold," Squall said quickly before the phone line went dead. Kiros put the phone down and lied back down on his bed. He couldn't shake the thought that Laguna may have remembered what had happened. If he had, then tonight was going to be another night he'd rather forget.

He sat up, deciding to call Vincent straight away and fill him in on the latest revelation. At least the gunman would have the day to deal with it before they went to Laguna's tonight.


	24. Chapter 24

******* CHAPTER 24 *******

The next night Kiros and Vincent approached the President's door determined to get answers. When Laguna opened the door he was holding a glass in one hand and he scowled before waving them inside.

"I'm sorry, I don't have time tonight to entertain. I'd appreciate it if you two could just tell me what you want and leave so I can go to bed and get some sleep," he muttered, turning away from both men without any kind of greeting. Kiros noticed a half empty bottle of scotch on the coffee table and realised that Laguna had been drinking. Any other time he might have walked away, deciding not to take on someone under the influence but this time he decided that the President's lowered defences might work to their advantage.

"For fucks sake Laguna, what the hell is wrong? And don't you even think about saying nothing because we are not leaving until we get some answers. You are treating us as if you can't stand to be in the same room and there has to be a reason for it," Kiros demanded angrily. Laguna glared back at him, ignoring Vincent who was silently watching the exchange from the sidelines.

"You want to be told the truth? Well, that's a laugh, coming from you!" the President hissed at him. Kiros flinched at the venom in Laguna's voice. "Maybe if you told others the truth, they might do the same for you!"

"Kiros has never lied to you, Laguna. It is unfair for you to speak to him in such a way," Vincent interjected in Kiros' defence. Laguna spun around towards the gunman with a look of pure malice.

"Don't you dare start, Vincent. You have no right to lecture me on right and wrong after what you did. With him, of all people!" he spat back. Vincent flinched back at the realization that somehow Laguna had found out about the night of his heart attack.

"You found out, didn't you?" Kiros said with a sigh. Laguna turned back to face him with a scowl and walked over to sit down and pour himself another drink. Vincent remained standing, frozen to the spot and staring at the floor in shame.

"I found out three fucking months ago," Laguna muttered. "When you went to Galbadia for that stupid conference I wanted to borrow your camera to take to the concert that Vincent and I were going to. I went to your room to get it but when it wasn't in its usual spot, I started searching further. I found a different camera buried in the back of your filing cabinet and when I checked it to make sure I wouldn't be over taping anything I….I saw what was on there." Kiros covered his face with his hands. He had completely forgotten about the camera hidden in his room and now this was all his fault. Gods, why hadn't he just thrown the fucking thing away after confronting Vincent with it?

"My lover and my own son. It was so hard to believe, even with the proof right in front of me. I couldn't face Vincent after that so I left him a message saying that I couldn't make the concert and just sat there for hours, trying to work out if it was real or just some kind of sick joke. Then everything started to fall into place. For one, it explained Squall's sudden surge of affection. Guilt can be a real motivator for some," he said sadly, running his hands through his hair before continuing. "Secondly, I remembered what had happened between me and Kiros in the conference room, which explained Vincent's reasons. I just couldn't fathom why Squall would do such a thing."

"That's not the whole truth," Kiros said softly. Laguna looked up at him questioningly.

"Yes it is," Vincent interjected suddenly. Kiros looked up at the gunman sadly, realizing that the young man was trying to take the blame to save Laguna more pain.

"No Vincent. Enough is enough. He needs to know the whole truth. He deserves to know the whole truth." Vincent looked down at his feet sadly and Kiros turned to Laguna who was silently watching the exchange.

"This is not easy to explain…and….well it's going to hurt you," he said, looking into his friends eyes and hoping that this was the right decision.

"I'm not about to break, Kiros. I just want all of this to be over and it will never be over until I know everything," Laguna said simply. Kiros sighed and took a deep breath before continuing.

"You already know that you avoided Squall for months because you didn't know how to tell him about Vincent. You also know that Squall spied on you and filmed us together in the conference room. Well, he happened to watch that video while sitting in a bar and got himself plastered after seeing the two of us together. He heard us talking about Vincent's demons and decided that Vincent was a threat to your safety and that he had to get him away from you. Unfortunately, it happened to be the same bar that Vincent had gone to and he had already drunk himself stupid when Squall approached him. Vincent had no idea who he was but after Squall drugged his drink, he thought he was you. It was Squall that made the recording and put it in your office. Vincent still has no memory of what happened that night."

Laguna was sitting perfectly still and seemed to be trying to digest the story. Vincent hadn't moved an inch and was still staring at the floor. Kiros felt the tension in the room build to an uncomfortable level and was relieved when the President finally spoke.

"You kept this quiet to protect me," he said so softly that Kiros only just heard him. "Why do you two constantly treat me like I'm some kind of fragile thing that will fall apart at the slightest bump? For fucks sake, do you two even realize what upsets me most about all of this?" Laguna added, his voice rising as he stood to face both men.

"What pisses me off the most is that you both lied to me. You both lied to me because you consider me so weak and pathetic that I couldn't handle the truth!" Vincent's head snapped up and he stepped forward to grab Laguna's hands roughly in his.

"No Laguna, that is not true. We both love you and didn't want to cause you pain. Can you not see that?" he growled out in frustration. Laguna stared at the gunman open mouthed and Kiros looked at Vincent and realized the reason for his shock. Vincent was crying silently, tears running down his cheeks and his eyes shining in pain. "Gods, you nearly died! Can you not see reason in this?" Vincent released the President's arms, turning to walk away.

"Vincent?" Laguna whispered and the gunman froze mid step. Laguna walked around to face him and lifted one hand to wipe away the tears that were still falling. They both stood staring into each other eyes before Laguna reached up and began to kiss the gunman gently. Vincent returned the kiss tentatively and when Laguna pulled back his tears had stopped.

"When you found out about this last time, it nearly killed you. I didn't want to risk losing you again," Vincent whispered softly, as he wrapped his arms around Laguna and rested their foreheads together. Laguna sighed and closed his eyes.

"I understand. Just please, no more secrets, no more lies," he said before tilting his head up to kiss the gunman again. Their kiss deepened and Kiros realized that it was time for him to leave. He'd done all he could do and now it was up to them. Neither man noticed as he silently stood and walked over to the door, exiting without a sound.


	25. Chapter 25

******* CHAPTER 25**** *******

A month had passed since the confrontation in Laguna's room and Kiros was overjoyed that finally things were going smoothly for all of them. Vincent and Laguna had consummated their new relationship and hadn't stopped consummating it since, as far as he could tell. The gunman was living with the President again and Laguna seemed to be back to his usual, cheery self. He hadn't been forgotten and Vincent still came to see him every Friday night to have a few drinks and unwind from the week.

A loud knock at the door awoke Kiros from his daydreaming and he stood to open it, eager to see Vincent. He was unable to hide his shock when he opened the door to find Laguna standing next to Vincent. The gunman smiled at him, stepping inside to embrace him affectionately. Kiros was surprised that the young man was being so affectionate to him in front of Laguna. Usually it was only when they were alone that Vincent showed this side of himself and Kiros had thought that Laguna was unaware of the gunman's change in behaviour towards him when no one else was around.

Laguna stepped into the room and shut the door with a nervous smile. Vincent kept one arm around Kiros and turned to reach out with the other one, grabbing the President and pulling him into a three way hug. Laguna squeaked in surprise and Kiros couldn't help but laugh at the gunman's sudden transformation into hug mode. He would have never believed it himself if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes on so many occasions.

"I thought it was time I dragged him out of his office and made him join in our weekly get together. Besides, it's been weeks since you two spent time together out of the office," Vincent's deep voice purred in his ear. Kiros tried and failed to stop the shiver that ran up his spine. Vincent released them both and Kiros glanced at Laguna to see him smiling oddly at him.

"I hope you don't mind me butting in," the President said nervously, chewing his bottom lip and looking down at his feet. Kiros couldn't resist how adorably vulnerable he looked and reached forward to lift Laguna's chin with his hand.

"Don't be silly. Of course I don't mind," he said brightly. Laguna smiled and Kiros stood lost in his eyes until Vincent cleared his throat beside them. Kiros dropped his hand guiltily. Fuck. He looked at Vincent but the gunman simply smiled warmly at him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"What are we going to eat? I'm starving," he said, pulling Kiros towards the kitchen. He heard Laguna chuckling behind them and he couldn't help but feel a little freaked out. Why wasn't Vincent pissed at him? And what the hell did Laguna find so funny about the whole thing? He quickly forgot his worries as all three began to argue over what kind of food they were going to order and ten minutes later a pouting Laguna had finally accepted the fact that they'd be eating pizza after being out voted by the other two men.

Two hours and three bottles of wine later, all three sat back on the couch, watching some crappy black and white movie that Laguna had insisted on. Honestly, the guy's taste in movies really sucked, Kiros thought to himself as he leaned back and yawned. He glanced over at Vincent, who was looking rather pained at having to sit through such crap and then looked at Laguna who was, of course, completely glued to the dramatic ending playing out before him. The credits finally rolled down the screen and Kiros had to suppress the urge to cheer. He rolled his eyes at Laguna as he started raving on about the movie.

"Hey! It wasn't that bad," Laguna sputtered, pouting and crossing his arms. Kiros couldn't help laughing out loud and the President punched his arm in mock offence.

"It's time you told him baby," Vincent interjected, changing the subject and saving Kiros from further abuse. Kiros looked at both men curiously, a little worry creeping into his face.

"Don't panic Kiros. Now I know how you feel about birthdays and yours is tomorrow. Every year you lock yourself away in your room and refuse to come out for the whole day. It's just not right. No one should spend their birthday alone and cooped up in their room. Vincent and I wanted to make you dinner and celebrate with you. How about it?" Laguna prattled out excitedly.

"No Laguna. You know how I feel about birthdays. I am not about to change my birthday routine for you or anyone," Kiros mumbled out, frowning deeply and moving to stand. Vincent put an arm around his waist and held him in place and Kiros' temper began to flare. Every year it was the same argument. Why couldn't the guy just forget his damn birthday for once?

"Come on Kiros. Would it be so bad to spend your birthday with us?" Vincent asked.

"Yes, it would be bad. I do not do birthdays, ok? Why the hell can't you two just accept that?" he growled out, pushing away Vincent's hand roughly and standing up to stomp out onto the balcony. He took a deep breath of the cool night air and looked out over the city below. Damn it, he couldn't help it if he loathed birthdays. It was the most depressing thing to be reminded that yet another year had passed him by and he was still alone. Why would he want to celebrate being another year closer to death?

Kiros heard footsteps approaching but didn't turn around, still to pissed to let it drop. Arms wrapped around his waist from behind as Laguna hugged him fiercely.

"Please don't be mad," he whispered into Kiros' shoulder. "I'm sorry I pushed it. I promise I won't bring it up again if it makes you this upset. Please, just forget the whole thing and come back inside." Kiros felt his heart flutter and cursed his traitorous body. He wanted Laguna even when the guy was pissing him off. It was just pathetic. Breathing in deeply and sighing in frustration, he turned around, moving Laguna's arms from his waist and stepping back to look at him stubbornly.

"You promise, no more birthday shit?" he muttered. Laguna nodded vigorously before grabbing his hand and pulling him back inside towards the couch. Vincent was looking at him with his best 'kicked puppy' expression and he felt a stab of guilt at his behaviour. His friends had both meant well, simply wanting to celebrate his birthday with him and he had over reacted and bitten their heads off, like some immature spoilt brat. He dropped into the chair beside the gunman and hugged him tightly and Vincent apologized softly in his ear.

"I'm sorry I over reacted," he mumbled, shame faced, as Vincent released him and Laguna joined them on the couch.

"Lets have another drink and forget I ever brought it up," Laguna said cheerily and handed Kiros another glass of wine. Kiros nodded and downed his drink quickly, only half listening as Laguna began telling another tall tale about their army days to Vincent. Vincent was listening intently and leaned back, wrapping an arm around Kiros' shoulders and pulling him back against his chest. Kiros had heard the story a hundred times but he still smiled warmly at the memories that it made resurface in his mind. His anger forgotten, he relaxed fully into the gunman's embrace and suddenly felt so tired that he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. The last thing he remembered was Laguna's voice lulling him off to sleep.


	26. Chapter 26

Title: Corpse in the Cupboard (FFVIII/FFVII crossover)

Author: Madisuzy

Rating: +18

Characters: Laguna, Kiros, Vincent.

Warnings: sex, yaoi, swearing, etc.

Thanks: Goldenhaire from LJ and Squall from CrisisCore forums for everything.

Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII, FFVIII, any of the characters or the settings.

I do not make any money from the writing of this story, it is just for fun

* * *

**CHAPTER 26**

_(FINAL CHAPTER)_

Kiros opened his eyes to find himself in Laguna's bedroom, on his knees with his arms over his head. He glanced up to see his wrists were tied together by a rope that ran up and over an exposed roof beam. He was about to start panicking when Laguna entered through the doorway in front of him and smiled.

"Laguna? What the hell is going on?" he asked roughly. He wasn't in the mood for childish pranks right now. All he wanted to do was go home, open a bottle of whiskey and drink himself into oblivion. Instead, he was tied up, on his knees, like some kind of fool. He'd really thought his birthday couldn't get anymore depressing. Then again, he hadn't imagined humiliation was going to be included in the schedule this year.

Laguna walked over and kneeled down in front of him, lifting his hand to tuck a stray braid behind his ear before resting his hand on his cheek. Kiros' forehead wrinkled up into a frown. Why was Laguna looking at him like that? He opened his mouth to speak but Laguna stopped him by leaning forward and kissing him gently. Kiros froze in shock and Laguna pulled back slightly to smile at him once more.

"Happy birthday Kiros," he whispered. The President leant in again, kissing him passionately. He felt the buttons of his shirt being undone and gentle fingertips running over his flat stomach. One hand snaked around to caress his back while the other moved further up his chest to taunt one nipple into hardness. Kiros' breathing had already become ragged, his hips pushing forward, looking for friction that Laguna was more than happy to supply. As the two grinded together, the President moved his kisses across his assistants jaw, working his way down to his neck where he stopped and began sucking. Kiros leant his head back as Laguna slid one hand down and under the waistband of his pants to gently squeeze his shaft.

"Laguna, please. You have to stop this now," Kiros begged, his hips thrusting into Laguna's hand and making a mockery of his words. Kiros couldn't believe Laguna would do this to Vincent, but no matter how much his conscious screamed at him, his body betrayed him with every touch. Laguna pulled back to watch Kiros squirm as his hand jerked him off slowly.

"Looks like you need more convincing," Laguna purred. Both of the President's hands moved to undo his zipper and Kiros closed his eyes, feeling cold air on his cock as his pants were pulled down and tugged off over his feet. He whimpered in defeat as he felt the warmth of Laguna's mouth surround his throbbing need. The sudden press of another body against his back made his eyes fly open in surprise. Jet black hair flowed over his shoulder as another warm tongue slowly licked his neck moving upwards to be replaced by a gently pull of teeth on his ear. His whole body shivered in response.

"Happy birthday, Kiros," Vincent's deep voice growled in his ear as the gunman straddled his legs and pressed his own erection against Kiros' arse. Laguna began sucking hard and Kiros looked down to see Vincent's clawed hand reach around him to grasp Laguna's head, guiding it back and forth on his cock. A moan escaped his lips in spite of his attempts to stay quiet. He vaguely heard Vincent's low chuckle behind him, as the gunman slid one lubed finger between his cheeks to slowly circle his sphincter. Kiros couldn't stop his body tensing in response. Nobody had ever touched him there before and the sensation was alarming despite the fact that he didn't want Vincent to stop. He wanted to feel the gunman inside of him, so he ignored his fear, pushing back and impaling himself slowly on the teasing finger.

Kiros grasped the rope above him, using it to hold his weight as he thrust forward into Laguna's mouth and then back onto Vincent's finger, setting a slow pace that was pure torture. When another finger slipped inside him easily, brushing over a particular spot that sent bolts of pleasure up his spine, his thrusts automatically increased. Laguna moaned around his cock and the resulting vibration combined with Vincent adding a third finger was too much for Kiros to bear. He threw his head back, his whole body jerking with ecstasy as he closed his eyes and came down the President's throat.

Kiros slowly opened his eyes to see Laguna in front of him, licking his lips and smiling. Vincent's clawed hand was holding him around the waist gently and he whimpered in surprise when he realized that the gunman was still slowly fucking him with his fingers. Laguna stood up, slowly removing his clothes before kneeling back down and kissing Kiros passionately. Vincent growled hungrily behind him and Laguna pulled away to lean around him and kiss Vincent into silence. Vincent's fingers began to increase in speed and Kiros moaned between the two men as his recently spent member began to swell with need once more. The gunman's fingers were amazingly accurate and despite the fact he was devouring Laguna's mouth, he managed to hit Kiros' pleasure spot with every push.

Laguna finally broke the kiss to shuffle back on his knees, facing both men. Kiros noticed he had a tube of lube in his hand and the President squeezed some out, coating both his hands and spreading his legs as his hand reached back to begin preparing himself. Laguna arched his back and moaned as he began fucking himself with his fingers, his other hand stroking his cock in time.

Vincent and Kiros both moaned in unison at the sight before them. The President closed his eyes and continued his performance, thrusting back and forth as he became lost in pleasure. Kiros began pushing back on Vincent's fingers erratically, his neglected cock twitching painfully as he whimpered with need and pulled on his restraints.

"Laguna," Vincent's voice whispered and surprisingly, the President heard and opened his eyes. "Come over here," the gunman ordered, his voice hungry with desire. Laguna turned his back towards Kiros as he bent forward on his hands and knees and backed towards him. Vincent pulled his fingers out of Kiros and grasped his cock, lining it up as Laguna pushed back and the tip of Kiros' cock entered him. The President paused, panting with need and glancing over his shoulder at Vincent.

"Now Vincent," Laguna begged. The gunman slowly began to push forward into Kiros and his whole body began to tremble as Vincent's movement filled him, while driving his own cock forward to fill Laguna. Kiros felt his eyes roll back into his head as his brain overloaded with sensation. He hung weakly from the rope above his head as his arms lost all feeling but he couldn't bring himself to care. Laguna was thrusting backwards in time to Vincent's thrusts forward and both were quickly increasing in speed. Kiros had never felt so completely helpless and out of control and he loved it.

He bit his lip, trying desperately to hold back his orgasm. Laguna was moaning loudly now, with one hand wrapped around his own cock, pumping it firmly as he thrust erotically back onto Kiros. Suddenly Laguna clenched, moaning as he came. Kiros began to follow him over the edge when Vincent grabbed the base of his penis and denied him his release. Kiros groaned in frustration and pain, as Laguna slipped slowly off him and collapsed on the floor. Kiros muttered curses at the gunman behind him, closing his eyes and praying for release while he was held still.

He heard Laguna moving and looked up to see the President pulling himself up onto the nearby bed, looking at him sympathetically. Vincent was kissing and biting his neck again, still buried to the hilt inside of him.

"Gods Vincent, please!" Kiros begged weakly. The gunman growled deeply, removing his hand from the base of Kiros' weeping dick. He pulled back and thrust forward, pulling back again and stopping.

"I want you to come, just from the feeling of me inside of you," Vincent whispered in his ear. Kiros shivered in response and thrust back onto the gunman's cock. Vincent moaned in surprise before grabbing onto his hips and changing the angle. On his second thrust, he found what he was looking for and Kiros began to arch his back, muttering incoherently, as the gunman began to fuck him, hard and fast. Every thrust hit Kiros' pleasure spot and after a few minutes of divine torture he came hard, his whole body shaking with release. Vincent followed instantly, the clenching of Kiros' ass milking the gunman dry.

Kiros hung limply from the rope with his eyes closed. He felt Vincent pull out gently and lift him up to cradle him in his arms. He opened his eyes to see Laguna cutting the rope away quickly, finally releasing him. He winched as the blood began to return to his arms and shoulders, painfully throbbing back along his abused muscles. Vincent carried him over and laid him on the bed, lying down beside him and pulling up the blankets before gently massaging his limbs. Laguna appeared on the other side of the bed with a potion in his hand and an embarrassed grin on his face. Kiros took the potion in his shaking hand and drank it, sighing and closing his eyes as its healing power flowed through his body. He felt Laguna sit down on the bed beside him.

"Kiros. Are you ok?" Laguna asked quietly, fear creeping into his voice. Kiros opened his eyes to see both men looking at him intently. A smile spread across his face and he couldn't hold back the chuckle that escaped his lips. Vincent smiled at him, while Laguna began to pout.

"You bastard! I was worried we'd hurt you!" Laguna scolded him, crossing his arms over his chest. The President tried to glare at Kiros but failed as he began to grin. Vincent threw an arm around Kiros, turning him to face Laguna and snuggling in to his back to sleep.

"Happy birthday Kiros," the gunman muttered, closing his eyes. Laguna crawled under the blankets, leaning over Kiros to kiss his lover, before lying down and tracing a finger along his best friend' cheek.

"So, did you like your present?" Laguna asked.

"Yes. Thankyou both," Kiros said genuinely. Vincent squeezed him in response and the President smiled brightly.

"I told you birthdays weren't so bad," Laguna added, turning to snuggle his back against Kiros, who put an arm over him and pulled him close.

"You certainly know how to prove a point," Kiros said, closing his eyes. "Hey Laguna, can I have the same present next year?"

***** THE END*****


End file.
